Man’s Best Friend, Life’s Greatest Story:
Local Author Pens Memoir Inspired by His Dog
By: Megan Roche
Glenn Blekicki got into writing later than most people do.
“I honestly never thought about writing a book of any kind.  I never could find enough time in the day with a very busy schedule.  My wife, Michele, inspired me to do so with her courageous battle and victory over breast cancer and then leukemia.  She said you need to tell our inspirational story,” Blekicki says.
His first story, The Moondog of Morristown, shares the life and times of Cernan, the Blekicki’s English Springer Spaniel. Cernan is named after Glenn’s childhood hero, astronaut Eugene Cernan.
“I have met a great many dogs in my life.  All were motivated by toys or treats and food.  My dog Cernan was motivated by neither.  His intelligence was off the chart as he was exceptionally smart and very sweet.  I was so very fortunate to have this 47 pound “bundle of brilliance” in our lives.  He was my first dog I ever owned, and it seems I lucked out having him in my daily life.  Whether the reader believes it or not, every outstanding event within the Moondog of Morristown happened and is absolutely true.  The highs and lows.  My best review of the book so far simply said “I laughed, I cried and then I cheered at the end. 5 stars,” Blekicki said.
For Glenn, one book wasn’t enough. Debuting in October 2025, Blekicki will branch into another genre: children’s books.
“In 2024, I wrote one memoir and two country songs.  One of those songs: A Lone Star Christmas came out nearly perfect.  But something didn’t seem right.  Then it dawned on me that this song was a perfect sing along song.  The idea of a children’s book was born.  Using the Texas-themed lyrics from the Christmas song as its words, I coupled this with the exceptionally vivid illustrations created by the incomparable Lauren Austin in the UK; A Lone Star Christmas was created.  The book and the recorded song are to be released together this October,” Blekicki said.
He credits Michele as his source of inspiration.
“Imagination is in each one of us, you just have to believe in yourself enough to go and pursue it.  My wife’s health condition as a two-time survivor of cancer has fostered some uncertainty in my life, but rather than wallow in self-pity, she heroically inspired others in their own fight.  For me, I took the negative energy of it all and spun it to something more positive, unleashing a torrent of creativity within me to focus on.  Michele, as I am to her, is my biggest advocate.  She is a special kind of person that anyone would be lucky to know,” Blekicki said.
Blekicki may have unlocked a new world for himself with writing, but he continues to do what makes him happy.
“I want people to be inspired by my books and songs,  I’ll keep jogging, I have run over 3,100 miles and swam 210 miles in a decade, and as Michele grows stronger we will again travel the world!  Perhaps Africa or South America.  It’s not everyone’s “cup of tea” but it’s ours,” Blekicki said.
The Moondog of Morristown and all of Blekicki’s other books are available on Amazon.com. Photo: The Moondog of Morristown cover

Morris County Vocational School District’s Olivia Goldberg
Shines on Dance Floor
By Evan Wechman

Both Olivia Goldberg and her mother Kim are unsure where she got her remarkable dancing skills from, and laugh at the idea that it was passed on from Olivia’s parents. Either way, Olivia Goldberg, a senior from Morris Knolls High School who studies dance through the Morris County Vocational School District Academy for Performing Arts is excelling on the dance floor.
She just recently won the Dance New Jersey National Honor Society for Dance Arts State Level Award for Artistic Merit, Leadership and Academic Achievement.   This is an honor given to students who have worked incredibly hard to excel in their artistic journey through dance education.
Though Goldberg has been dedicating most of her time since she was a toddler to being the best dancer she can be, she was still pleasantly surprised by the award.

“I found out around the beginning of June, and I was pretty surprised, because there was a lot of other applicants and a lot of other amazing dancers out there. So, I was pretty shocked, but I was excited and proud,” Goldberg said.
According to the young dancer, the application process was intense and consisted of multiple essays about her dance education as well as having to videotape and submit a choreographed routine created by her.  However, for Goldberg this was not overwhelming as she can’t remember a time when dance was not part of her life.
“My parents always said that since I was born, whenever there was music on, I would just be wiggling around, and I just loved dance and listening to the music. So I’m pretty sure my first recital class at the dance studio was when I was two, and then I continued doing like recreation for a couple years, and then they asked me to be on the dance competition team when I was seven, and then I started competing,” Goldberg said.
For the Morris Knolls senior, winning competitions and taking home regional awards was just the beginning. This past year she also won the New Jersey Governors award in Arts Education and was the second runner-up in the National Competitions. Also, a wonderful achievement, her and a fellow classmate choreographed a dance routine that they performed at the Montclair State Dance Festival.
Goldberg credits her success to her great education at school, as well as the wonderful time she has had at the For Dancers Only Studio in Totowa. According to Goldberg, she has made tremendous strides there.
“I think it’s my fifth year there. And I came from two other past dance studios, and then this one has just kind of taught me to just more enjoy dance and less of the competitive side. And I have really close bonds with my dance teachers there, and they’re all very supportive, and my friends there are supportive as well,” Goldberg said.
They young dance student and emerging star wants to continue studying dance after she graduates high school and even starring on Broadway is not out of the question.
“For my senior year, I’m a competitor, so I just want to keep going with competition. And then after that, I’m planning on going to a college where I will major in dance. Afterwards, I would love to be on Broadway someday and just keep performing and eventually own my own studio once my career is over.”
Goldberg would love to be on Broadway after college and dreams of being in a production of Moulin Rouge in New York City one day. However, she realizes she still has more work ahead of her to reach that level.
She has not officially selected which college she wants to continue her studies at, but she seems to have her heart set on attending Oklahoma City University. This is due to the connections the University has with many other artists on Broadway and its focus on teaching the various dance moves needed to get there.
Goldberg’s parents who still debate which side of the family is responsible for her talent are certainly proud of all her accomplishments.
According to Kim Goldberg, Olivia’s mother, she not only loves watching her daughter perform, but couldn’t be any prouder.
“I’m super proud of Olivia. I think she’s one of the hardest working, dedicated kids when it comes to dance. She puts everything in that she possibly could to succeed at this. And I’m really excited about her future. It’s a little scary, because I know dance can be a hard career to go into, but she is completely 100 percent in it to be in it and wants to do something with it in her life. So, I’m excited to see where this takes her,” the elder Goldberg said.
pics courtesy of Olivia and Kim Goldberg

Unity Charter School Interim Executive Director
presents workshop at NAME Conference
By Steve Sears

Jennifer Carcich, Interim Executive Director of Morris Township’s Unity Charter School, on June 27 presented a workshop titled “Cultivating the Joy of Reading as an Antiracist Practice.”
Carcich hosted the workshop at the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) Region 1 Conference at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts, and she was joined by BSU Department of Special Education professor, Dr. Amy Mercado. The theme of this year’s conference was “Action over Optics: Transformative Equity.”
Founded in 1990, courtesy of its website, “The National Association for Multicultural Education is a 501.c-3 non-profit organization that advances and advocates for social justice and educational equity through multicultural education.”
Carcich has been Interim Executive Director of Unity Charter School since April.
About 100 people attended the conference and 20 took part in the two-hour workshop. And of those attendees, several approached Carcich and Dr. Mercado afterwards to compliment the importance of the workshop.
Carcich said, “We had two younger teachers come up to us – one that was already a teacher, one who was a student teacher – that specifically were looking for texts to include in their collections, and to make sure that they had different texts that brought different vantage points to the children.”
The workshop tied right in with what Unity Charter School – whose Education for Sustainability EfS Standards are practiced with the New Jersey state standards – lives with its teachers and students.
And one of those standards is multiple perspectives.
Carcich said, “That’s why I thought it was important for me to take part in this, because it is all of everything that our school does: making sure that we have the children exposed to many views, and within books. With any sustainable practice, diversity must be there. It goes with every system. The more diverse the system is, the better health it has. We have 45 different sending districts. We look like New Jersey; we do not look like one town. We have a little bit of every representation of New Jersey in this school.”
Carcich stressed the importance for Unity Charter School’s diverse representation to read different types of books and learn about different cultures and people. She said, “You have to have books that look like every child in this building, so it is healthier for everybody. It allows children and staff the right to grow. We do not shy away from differences; we lean into them. Our kids are naturally more curious and open to ask questions. We encourage that in literature, but also with each other.”
For more information about Unity Charter School, which was founded in 1998, visit https://unitycharterschool.org/.
Photo 1: Jennifer Carcich (credit: Connie Sanchez)

Morristown Baseball Player is Drafted by the Minnesota Twins
By Evan Wechman

Morristown native and former Seton Hall Prep School standout Ryan Sprock is currently fulfilling every baseball lover’s childhood dream.  Though he is still a month shy from his 21^st birthday, Sprock is on his way to wearing a Major League Baseball (MLB) uniform.
This past July Sprock heard his name announced by the Minnesota Twins organization’s executive team during the 2025 MLB draft.  Sprock was finishing up the season at Elon University in North Carolina where he played both third base and pitcher. He was known for his outstanding fielding skills, reliable pitching and timely hitting ability. In addition, he brings to the Twins organization some power at the plate with his penchant to hit the ball out of the park.
According to Sprock, though he was hoping to hear his name called, the feeling was exhilarating.
“I was at my teammates house in Pennsylvania,” Sprock said. “He was my roommate all three years at Elon, and he also ended up getting drafted, so we kind of hung out there with a bunch of our teammates, and a bunch of our buddies, and lucky enough, he actually went to the Twins as well, so  it kind of worked out perfectly. But it was a great feeling. It was very rewarding. It felt like recognition for a lot of the work that I’ve put in, but it’s definitely just a continuation along my journey, hopefully just another step towards working towards my goals and my dreams. But it was awesome. It’s something I worked my whole life for.”
A few weeks prior to the draft, the Morristown standout received word the Twins were considering him when he was invited to work out and play some ball at their home stadium of Target Field in Minneapolis.  According to Sprock, playing ball under the great lights of a MLB stadium was quite an experience, but he still didn’t know for certain that his name would be called.
The Twins made Sprock wait a little bit as he was officially drafted in the eighth round and is now currently playing baseball at their training complex in Fort Myers, Florida. Sprock is with all the other players who were drafted by Minnesota and is getting acquainted with the team while doing his best to make a great impression.
The road to the Major Leagues for Sprock could be a long one, as he must successfully make his way through the minor league system until the organization feels he’s ready to play for the Twins at Target field.
Sprock said he is not sure exactly which minor league affiliate of the Twins’ he will be playing for but thinks it will most likely be for the single A team in Fort Myers.
Either way, Sprock is mature enough to handle the ebbs and flows of professional baseball. Though he played both third base and pitched at Elon University, he believes his versatility was a key factor in Minnesota signing him to a contract.
“I’d say mainly my versatility impressed them because throughout college, I played just about every position in the infield, along with pitching,” Sprock said.
He also mentioned that after speaking with some of the managerial members of the organization, he will be focusing on being an infielder, and he will no longer be pitching.  However, due to his ability to field almost any position, the Twins think he might have what it takes to be a catcher as well.
Though catching is a challenging position, Sprock feels his ability to adapt to almost any situation is something both him and the Twins’ top leaders value. Whatever position he plays, he plans on making a positive contribution.
“The biggest overarching goal is to continue my development and continue progressing,” Sprock said.  “Obviously there’s a ton of adjustments that are necessary moving up a level and just transitioning to doing this as potentially a line of work, a job, and not just something that goes along with school. So, it’s going to be a transition. My biggest goal is just to keep playing well, keep having fun, playing the game, and try to make it up to the big-league level, and help whatever team I’m on win some games.”
Sprock said there is no specific timetable he has given himself to make the major leagues but just wants to continue evolving as a player.
Though he may be living the dream of every baseball fan, young and old, Sprock remains modest. He said that the outpouring of support from all his friends and coaches from Morristown has been tremendous, and he can’t wait to return to his hometown.
However, he realizes the road ahead will be difficult, but one he’s ready to take on. He’s intent on staying humble and doesn’t see himself as doing something that’s never been done before, especially in his home state. Rather, he views himself as being fortunate.
“Baseball and New Jersey and sports as a whole, I’d say, are underrated. There’s a ton of talent that gets pumped out every year, and this isn’t a situation that’s unique to me or a couple other guys.”
photo courtesy of Ryan Sprock- picture of him signing his contract with the Minnesota Twins

Morristown High School senior presents her
Girl Scouts Gold Award project
By Steve Sears
Morristown High School senior, Abby Higgins, saw where things could be improved with cell phone usage, and she used her wonderful Girl Scouts platform to deliver that message and solution.
Higgins, who has taken part in Girl Scouts since age 5 when she was a Daisy, for her Gold Star project developed Smartphone Superkids. Aimed at grades three through five (ages nine through 11), the curriculum aims to educate youngsters in safe cell phone usage.
Higgins said, “A Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award you can achieve in Girl Scouts, and it requires you to complete a long-term project without other girl scouts from your troop helping you. You are required to complete a certain amount of service hours and planning hours which total at least 80 hours. And the whole point of it is to identify a problem in your society, your town, your country, whatever scale, and you try to create a solution that you can implement and maintain over a long course of time.”
The 80 hours included all of the planning, preparing, presenting, finishing, and improving Smartphone Superkids, a free online curriculum package that instructs kids and parents on the importance on safety skills for identifying and avoiding cyber bullying, the importance of reduced screen time, and identifying spam messages through interactive games, skits, and group discussions.
Higgins, who first had to begin by completing a Silver Award journey, where she did research to advocate for a problem in her community, learned the skill of identifying an issue and how to engage her resources to plan a response. For her Gold Award, she chose to design a cell phone safety program driven by a child’s point of view, said, “(The program) is unique because it encourages kids to proactively engage with the games and the skits and the conversations that we have, which ultimately helps them become more self-aware when it comes to cell phone safety and gives them the tools to discuss cell phones with their parents, thinking about if they are ready before receiving their own.”
To pilot her program, Higgins connected with a Girl Scout troop whose members were age 9 through 11, and herself taught a roughly two-and-a-half-hour long session where she used all the games and the skits and then presented her findings from those sessions to the Morris Plan Board of Education.
“They really, really enjoyed it,” Higgins said. “I gave the students an evaluation after the presentation was over, and 100% of the students felt very, very comfortable using a smartphone, and they enjoyed all the parts of it, which was fantastic.”
Higgins, who is a member of the Color Guard in the Morristown High School  Colonials Marching Band, is also an active participant with the MHS Theatre program, which is actually where she got her lesson plan skills.
She said, “I have been cast in almost every show since freshman year, and I also am the head of the Educational & Community Outreach Committee, and for that I basically take the lessons or the morals of the play or musical we are doing, and I make them into lesson plans for grades K through 12, and I send them to local school districts to complete, and then they send back their final project to us, which is sort of how I became inspired and have the skills for my Gold Award project.”
Higgins is also in charge of the theatre program’s community outreach, and in charge of donation drives to local communities that are themed to match the school’s plays and musicals.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Higgins said of the theatre program and outreach that also included her presentation to the Morris Plains Rotary Club. “We are a student led program with our directors as our supervisors, but other than that, all the leadership is students.”
Photo 1: Morristown High School senior, Abby Higgins (courtesy of the Higgins family)

2025 Morristown Festival Of Books
Announces Award-Winning Author Lineup

More than 100 best-selling and award-winning authors are on tap for this year’s
Festival on October 10 & 11
The top literary event in the tri-state area, the Morristown Festival of Books returns Friday, October 10, and Saturday, October 11, in historic downtown Morristown with something for readers of all ages and tastes. The Keynote Event kicks things off on Friday night, followed by the all-day, free Main Festival on Saturday featuring more than 100 best-selling, critically acclaimed, and award-winning fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and children’s authors who will be speaking to audiences and signing their books.
The Festival begins on Friday night with a not-to-be-missed Keynote Event at MPAC theater: Rick Atkinson, two-time Pulitzer Prize–winning historian, will discuss his latest best seller, The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780. The Keynote will be held at the Mayo Performing Arts Center and tickets are on sale now at morristownbooks.org or by phone at 973-539-8008.
Saturday’s Main Festival events are free to the public, with no tickets or registration required, thanks to our generous sponsors and donors. The roster of 60+ authors includes some of today’s hottest names, such as novelists Lisa Scottoline (The Unraveling of Julia), Bruce Holsinger (Culpability), Jake Tapper (Race Against Terror), Robin Cook (Bellevue), Jeanine Cummins (Speak to Me of Home) and William Kent Krueger (Apostle’s Cove); biographers Kostya Kennedy (The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America) and Jason Bailey (Gandolfini); memoirist Susan Orlean (Joyride); and nonfiction writers Carl Zimmer (Air-Borne), Gabe Henry (Enough is Enuf), Corinne Low (Having It All), and Jeff Hobbs (Seeking Shelter).
Young readers will enjoy the ever-popular KidFest featuring dozens of outstanding children’s authors and illustrators who will be present from 11am to 4pm on Saturday (rain or shine) to meet visitors while selling and personally signing books. Victoria Kann, with her popular Pinkalicious series, and Rosemary Wells, author of the bestselling Max & Ruby series and new title Sharing, will be featured along with dozens of other amazing authors, including Colleen AF Venable (Junie B. Jones graphic novel), Patrick McDonnell (Mutts series), Brian Floca, Sarah Mlynowski, and more. Fun crafts, activities, and balloon art will round out the day.
The authors will speak and answer questions at several locales, all within walking distance of each other along South Street in historic Morristown, including St. Peter’s Church Sanctuary, Parish House, and lawn; The Church of the Redeemer; The Presbyterian Church Parish House; and the Morristown/Morris Township Library. Book sales and signings will occur at a tent on the grounds of the historic Vail Mansion. To see the complete author roster, visit morristownbooks.org.
Our Sponsors
The Morristown Festival of Books is generously sponsored by The Family Wealth Group at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management. Our Keynote Event is co-sponsored by Delta Dental and the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, as well as Special Event Sponsor Valley Bank. KidFest is generously sponsored by Atlantic Health System/Morristown Medical Center. Proceeds from our annual fundraising Keynote Event and book sales throughout the Festival contribute to supporting literacy and education in our community. This revenue, along with the generosity of our sponsors, helps keep our Saturday book festival free and open to all.
Morristown Festival of Books is a fund of the Community Foundation of New Jersey, a non-profit corporation.
For more information, go to morristownbooks.org and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram @morristownbooks!
A Warriors 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 months ahead. 
While Jamie has been gone for over two decades, his Long Valley legacy has remained. It was only in 2019 that the state of New Jersey put together legislation to remember him.
In 2019, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law that designates every October 3 as Corporal Jamie Smith Day.
“Sergeant Pilla and Corporal Smith served our country courageously and selflessly, protecting the people of our nation,” said Governor Murphy in a 2019 interview. “It is my honor to sign this legislation and recognize the incredible service and sacrifice of these two heroic individuals.”
Locally in Long Valley, the road leading to the Long Valley Raiders football field at Rock Spring Park is named Cpl. Jamie Smith Drive. Smith’s name also lives on at Picatinny Arsenal, where there is a building named in his honor.
For Smith’s former teacher Dennis O’Connell, he hopes Jamie’s legacy lives on forever.
“I remember Jamie as a caring selfless young man who loved his Country, loved being of service to others, a team player with a fantastic sense of humor.  I hope that people can learn from Jamie’s legacy that he represented the very best character traits in what it means to be an American….to care for others, to ‘step up’ when others can’t.  He was in Somalia originally on a humanitarian mission to stop the warlords from stealing food and starving their own population.  Jamie demonstrated the best values of what it meant to be an American regardless of your faith, your race or your politics….Jamie’s legacy to me…be kind, be caring, step up to help those who can’t help themselves…that was the America that he believed in and died for,” O’Connell said.
Jamie’s story of bravery is told in the 2025 Netflix docuseries, Surviving Black Hawk Down. In the show, you’ll meet some of Jamie’s Army Ranger pals, hear from the doctor who tried to save his life, and more.
For more information on the series, visit Netflix.com. Photo: The street sign that memorializes Jamie at Rock Spring Park.

Black Tom – A Formula for Disaster
By Henry M. Holden
It was 2a.m. on Sunday, July 30, 1916, on the New Jersey waterfront. The dockworkers were choking with high humidity. The temperature was predicted to go to 85 degrees. It was already 77 degrees with a threat of rain later in the morning.
After midnight, a series of small fires were discovered on the pier. Some guards fled, fearing an explosion. Others attempted to fight the fires and eventually called the Jersey City Fire Department.
Suddenly at 2:08 am there was an explosion. What took place was a colossal earsplitting ground shaking glass, breaking explosion.
The second and larger explosion occurred around 2:40 am. A notable location for second explosion was around the Johnson Barge No. 17, The explosion created a detonation wave that traveled at 24,000 feet per second with enough force to lift firefighters out of their boots and into the air.
Large chunks of debris  from the explosion traveled long distances: some lodged in the Statute of Liberty, and other fragments lodged in the clock tower of The Jersey City Journal Building, in Journal Square, more than one mile away, stopping the clock at 2:12 am. The explosion was the equivalent of an earthquake measuring between 5.0 and 5.5 on the Richter scale and was felt as far away as Philadelphia. Windows were broken as far as 25 miles away, including thousands in Lower Manhattan. Some window panes in Times Square were shattered. The stained glass windows in  St Patrick’s Cathedral were destroyed. The outer wall of Jersey  City Hall was cracked and the Brooklyn Bridge was shaken. People as far away as Maryland were awakened by what they thought was an earthquake.
Property damage from the attack was estimated at $20,000,000 (equivalent to about $578,000,000 in 2024). On the island, the explosion destroyed more than one hundred railroad cars, thirteen warehouses, and left a 375-by-175-foot crater at the source of the explosion
Black Tom was used to store small arms and artillery ammunition were stored at the depot in freight cars and on barges, including several tons of TNT on Johnson Barge No. 17. All were waiting to be shipped to Russia.
The blast occurred on Black Tom island a misnomer for a mile-long pier on a land fill forming a peninsula that at one-time jutted out from Jersey City into the Hudson River opposite Manhattan.
The New York Times said, “At least one-million people, maybe five million, heard and were shaken by the explosion that shook New Jersey from the shore to the skyscrapers on the rock foundations of Manhattan. It tossed people out of their beds, miles away, while thousands of broken windows posed another threat close to home.”
United States had remained neutral to the war going on in Europe. The government was aware of spies and did their best to ferret them out and bring them to justice, but in those days, the German spies were smart and few were ever caught.
As smoke began to fill the air, Captain Alfred T. Clifton, of the U.S. Army Signal Corps ordered the alarm sounded, and soon women and children were evacuated to the local parade ground, near the base of the Statue of Liberty.
As the civilians made their way to the designated safety zone, another explosion sounded, one even larger and far more devastating. This explosion came from a warehouse where an arsenal of military weapons, explosives, and other material were stored.
The force of this explosion sent shrapnel from the shells, bullets and debris, along with glass and wood from the building, plummeting down on the island, causing significant damage to the island and its structures. The shockwave from this blast was so intense, the force pushed the torch-bearing arm of the Statue of Liberty against the crown, damaging its internal framework.
When the smoke cleared later that morning, investigators and emergency personnel found all the island’s 17 buildings were seriously damaged. Glass and other debris covered the streets. Several people including women and children suffered serious trauma, and tragically, six adults and a 19-weekold baby lost their lives.
This left the U.S. government with a seemingly colossal task at the time—identify who was responsible, and how it could have happened in a relatively small, quiet community.
One of the largest obstacles was the lack of resources and structure to handle this kind of event. There were no organizations in place to investigate what appeared to be a terrorist attack on U.S. civilians.
While World War I was raging in Europe, at the time of the attack the United States was officially neutral in the conflict. As such, there were few national security laws and protocol in place to handle this type of event, and the ones that existed were vague. There was nothing like the international intelligence agencies that operate today who would have normally been equipped to investigate what looked like crime.
The Bureau of Investigation, which later became the FBI, initially led the investigation trying to back-track into the events at Black Tom. But, partially due to its lack of resources, negligeable experience, and small size at the time (only around 260 members with a few scattered offices). Progress was at a snail’s pace, painfully slow. But people wanted to know who was responsible and punish the culprits.
There was speculation among locals and authorities that the Black Tom explosion had been simply a tragic accident. Just five years earlier, in 1911, a discarded cigarette had caused a similar explosion in Jersey City Harbor when it landed in a container of explosives being unloaded by dockworkers. Due to the mysterious nature of the Black Tom incident, to many observers it seemed to be the likely cause.
This attack was one of many during the German sabotage campaign against the neutral United States, and it contributed to the shift of public opinion against Germany, which eventually resulted in American President Woodrow Wilson’s declaration of war against Germany.
The Russian government sued the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company operating the Black Tom terminal on grounds that lax security (there was no entrance gate; and the territory was unlit) permitted the loss of their ammunition. It was argued that due to the failure to deliver them the manufacturer was obliged by the contract to replace them.
After the war, the Lehigh Valley Railroad, sought damages against Germany by the Treaty of Berlin from the German American Mixed Claims Commission. The Mixed Claims Commission declared in 1939 that Imperial Germany had been responsible and awarded $50 million (the largest claim) in damages, which Nazi Germany refused to pay. The issue was finally settled in 1953 for $95 million (interest included) with the Federal Republic of Germany. The final payment was made in 1979.
The Statue of Liberty’s torch was closed to the public after the explosion, due to structural damage. Access was not opened even after the 1984-1986 restoration which included repairs to the arm and installation of a new gold-plated copper torch.
German spies like Kurt Jahnke, worked as an intelligence advisor to Walter Schellenberg, a German functionary during the Nazi era. Schellenberg and his wife were captured by Soviet agents in April 1945 .
After World War II, Jahnke a naturalize American citizen set up the “Jahnke Büro”, an intelligence organization although it was eventually dissolved by April 1945. Jahnke was arrested by the Soviet Union in 1950. Kurt Jahnke was put on trial as a spy, found guilty, and executed the same day.
Lother Witzke was arrested at the Mexican border on February 1, 1918, near Nogales, Arizona. Officials did not prosecute for the bombing but prosecuted him as a spy. A military court at Fort Sam Houston found him guilty of espionage and sentenced him to death by hanging. While in custody, he tried to escape twice, once succeeding, but he was recaptured the same day. On November 2, 1918, Witzke’s death sentence was approved by the Department Commander. However, he was not executed because of the November Armistice. In May 1920, President Woodrow Wilson commuted Witzke’s sentence to life in prison. In September 1923, Witzke, because of heroic conduct in prison and pressure for his release by the Weimar Republic, was pardoned by President Calvin Cooledge and deported to Germany. Upon his arrival, Witzke was awarded the Iron Cross First and Second Class, by the Reichswehr. Witzke later joined the Abwehr, and after World War II, lived in Hamburg. He was a monarchist who represented the German in the Hamburg Parliament from 1949 to 1952. Witzke died in 1961.
Landfill projects eventually incorporated Black Tom into Liberty State Park. Nothing remains of the munition’s depot with the Black Tom peninsula and all traces of physical damage are gone. A plaque marks the site where an explosion rocked the nation.’

Local Pet Sitter Turns Writing Pastime into Published Novel
By Stefanie Sears
Nancy Genung has a lot of various interests. She is best known for her full-time passion, a pet sitting business called Nancy’s Critter Sitters, which has been in operation for about 40 years. Now, Genung has decided to explore a new venture. The local hometown hero (as referred to by her publicist Joseph A. Federico of JFederico Marketing and Anchors To Dusk Publishing, LLC due to her presence in her community) has debuted her first novel in January 2024 and just completed a brief summer book signing tour with stops at East Hanover, Millburn, and Morristown.
Described as a combination of “The Sopranos” and 50 Shades of Grey without the kinkiness, Cousins – Where Loyalty and Betrayal Collide: An Italian Family Drama Meets the Jersey Mob centers on New Jersey Italian close cousins Christopher and Giuseppe Yacenda whose lives are upended by a falling out and the mob. They take opposite paths in life: one for construction, the other for destruction. The question is, will this New Jersey family ever make amends?
Genung has a background in the police department and emergency medical services. She currently works in the records department for the East Hanover Police Department and has been a member of the department since the 1980s when she first served as a Special Police Officer. It was this background that inspired her tale. She heard a bunch of stories throughout her career, especially one rather unique one.
“There was a story about how we had a case that was going to court and the defendants were fighting with each other,” says Genung. “There were two people that were fighting with each other, and when they went to court, one of the guys saw the other defendant’s car and he decided to throw a bucket of crap into his car.”
A highlight of Genung’s novel is that one cousin does this to the other’s Jaguar.
“That story is not something you hear every day. So I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve got to stick that in the back of my mind.’”
But interestingly, Genung does not have any Italian roots herself. Her surrounding influences is what helped her develop the dynamics of her characters. There is so much accuracy that people have told her that it felt like she wrote about their own families.
“In the town that I grew up in, which is East Hanover, it was 98% Italian when I was growing up. I happened to be part of that 2% that was not. I kind of learned all the Italian stuff from all my friends. Every single one of them are Italian, loving, warm. So that’s the atmosphere of the Italian background and family. Family tightness is where I got the idea.”
This is actually Genung’s first writing attempt. She initially treated it like a hobby jotting down different ideas and it has now expanded to a more full-fledged endeavor.
“It was like taking me out of reality and putting me in like a fantasy world. These thoughts would come and it was just taking a break from everyday routine. It was more exciting to sit down behind the keyboard and just forget about whatever was going on. That’s what really kept me going. It took me approximately seven years to do this book. I had a big gap in between work. I would write down all these ideas and it started to flow. So as it started to flow, I got more interest. Those couple of years in between where I had no thought about the book, I just let it go, and then all of a sudden, came back and I finished it. So it did take a while, but it was definitely a process.”
Genung is now working on a sequel to Cousins and is looking to embark on more book signings in the fall. Cousins is available on Amazon. www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTMW6TB7

Christopher Columbus Did Not Discover New Jersey
By Henry M. Holden
Christopher Columbus discovered America, but he did not discover New Jersey. That kudo belongs to Giovanni da Verrazzano, who in 1524, was the first European to see the land that one day would become New Jersey
There were probably a few million native human beings living here when Columbus and Verrazzano showed up, so for accuracy we’ll call them explorers who were the first to bring back descriptions of worlds they had found to the Europeans.
Verrazzano was one of the great men of the ages. He was an explorer who, like Copernicus, redefined the shape of the solar system, and
Michaelangelo who redefined the image of man. What Verrazzano did was redefine the map of the world.
So, what little we know of Verrazzano comes from fragments gathered long after his death. Some historians disagree on where he was born albeit we know when and the cause of his death.
Verrazzano was born about 1485 to wealthy and cultured parents south of Florence, the capital and main city of the Republic of Florence. Verrazzano was an explorer living in France. He led most of his later expeditions, including the one to America, in the service of King Francis I of France. He is renowned as the first European to explore the Atlantic coast of North America between Florida and New Brunswick in 1524,
In contrast to his detailed account of his voyages to North America, little is definitively known about his personal life. After 1506, he settled in the port of Dieppe, Kingdom of France, where he began his career as a navigator.
He embarked for the American coast probably in 1508 in the company of Captain Thomas Aubert, on the ship La Pensée. He explored the region of Newfoundland, possibly during a fishing trip, and possibly the St. Lawrence River in Canada; on other occasions, he made numerous voyages to the eastern Mediterranean.
In September 1522, the Magellan expedition returned to Spain, having successfully navigating the world. Now Verrazzano embarked for the American coast. Competition in trade was becoming urgent, especially with Portugal.
French merchants and financiers urged King Francis I of France to establish new trade routes. In 1523, the king asked Verrazzano to explore on France’s behalf an area between Florida and Newfoundland, intending to find a sea route to the Pacific Ocean. The expedition was funded by a consortium of Florentine merchants and friends based in Lyon and Rouen. Enough money was raised, with Verrazzano himself contributing as both captain and investor.
Within months, four ships set sail due west for the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, but a violent storm and rough seas caused the loss of two ships. The remaining two damaged ships, La Dauphine and La Normande, were forced to return to Brittany.
Repairs were completed in the final weeks of 1523, and the ships set sail again. This time, the ships headed south toward calmer waters under Spanish and Portuguese control.
After a stop in Madeira, complications forced La Normande back to home port, but Verrazzano’s ship La Dauphin departed on January 17, 1524, and headed once more for the North American continent.

It a letter to Francis I, Verrazzano described by historians as the Cèllere Codex, one of three surviving copies of a manuscript letter sent by Verrazzano to King Francis 1 of France. Verrazzano wrote that he was convinced that it was the beginning of the Pacific Ocean from which access could be gained to China.
Continuing to explore the coast further northwards, Verrazzano and his crew met Native people living on the coast. However, he did not notice the entrances to the Chesapeake Bay or the mouth of the Delaware River.
In New York Bay, he encountered about 30Lenape canoes with friendly inhabitants and observed what he deemed to be a large lake but was really the entrance to the Hudson River. He then sailed along Long Island and entered Narragansett Bay, where he received a delegation of Wampanoag and Narragansett people.
He discovered Cape Cod is one of three surviving copies of a manuscript letter sent by Giovanni da Verrazzano (1481–1528) in 1524 to King Francis I his claim being proven by a map of 1529 that clearly outlined Cape Cod. He named the cape after a general, calling it Pallavicino. He then followed the coast up to modern Maine, southeastern Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland, and he then returned to France by July 8, 1524. Verrazzano named the region Francesca in honor of the French king, but his brother’s map labelled it Nova Gallia (New France).
Verrazzano arranged a second voyage, with financial support from those who knew him well. The exposition departed from Dieppe with four ships early in 1527. One ship was separated from the others in a gale near the Cape Verde Islands. Still, Verrazzano reached the coast of Brazil with two ships and harvested a cargo of brazilwood before returning to Dieppe in September. The third ship returned later, also with a cargo of brazilwood.
The partial success did not find the desired passage to the Pacific Ocean, but it inspired Verrazzano’s final voyage, which left Dieppe in early 1528.
There are conflicting accounts of Verrazzano’s death. In one version, during his third voyage to North America in 1528, after he had explored Florida, the Bahamas, and the Lesser Antilles, Verrazzano anchored out to sea and rowed ashore, probably on the island of Guadeloupe. He was allegedly killed and eaten by the native Caribs. The fleet of three ships was anchored out of gunshot range, and no one could respond in time.
A 1527 map by Visconte Maggiolo showing the east coast of North America with “Tera Florida” at top right and Labrador at bottom left. The information supposedly came from Giovanni da Verrazzano’s voyage in 1524.
The geographic information derived from this voyage significantly influenced sixteenth-century cartographers. Despite his discoveries, Verrazzano’s reputation did not spread as well as other explorers of that era. For example, Verrazzano gave the European name Francesca to the new land that he had seen, in accordance with contemporary practices, after the French king in whose name he sailed. That and other names he bestowed on features he discovered have not survived. He had the misfortune of making significant discoveries shortly after the years (1519 to 1521) that the dramatic Conquest of the Aztec Empire and the first circumnavigation of the world occurred.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, there was a great debate in the United States about the authenticity of the letters that Verrazzano ostensibly wrote to Francis I describing  the geography, flora, fauna, and native population of the east coast of North America. Others thought that they were authentic, since the discovery of the Cèllere Codex in 1909. This is the most widely held opinion today particularly after the discovery of a letter signed by Francis I, which referred to Verrazzano’s letter.
Verrazzano’s reputation was partially obscured in New York City, where the 1609 voyage of Henry Hudson on behalf of the Dutch Republic came to be regarded as the de facto start of European exploration of New York
Estêvão Gomes’s trip of 1524 was also forgotten. It was only by a real effort of the Italian American community in 1909, and then in the 1940s and 1950s that Verrazzano’s name and reputation were reestablished as the European discoverer of the harbor, culminating in initiative to name the newly built Narrows bridge after him.
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge is a long-span suspension bridge spanning New York Harbor from Brooklyn to Staten Island, built from 1959 to 1964. The bridge was an exceptionally expensive engineering project largely because of the problem of land acquisition. Its total cost was more than $325 million. It is the longest suspension bridge in the United States and the 17th longest in the world.
This author completed two New York City Marathons each having the starting point on the Staten Island side of the bridge. The most alarming part of the race was having thousands of runners pounding the concrete bridge and feeling the bridge sway like waves raising from the concrete.

Free Dental Implant Seminar
Local dentist & implant expert, Dr. Ira Goldberg, will be holding a free public seminar on Saturday, September 20th regarding dental implants.  Although it is free, registration is required.  Details regarding registration can be found at the end of this article.
“Dental implants have become commonplace within the field of dentistry,” states Dr. Goldberg.  “They can be utilized for single teeth, multiple teeth such as bridges or dentures, and even full arch tooth replacement such as hybrids or All-On-Four.  The amount of information available on the internet can be overwhelming:  it provides both education and confusion.  I hope to share my knowledge and present some clarity to those individuals who feel they can improve their oral & overall health with dental implants.”
Dr. Goldberg is the owner of Morris County Dental Associates, a well-established dental practice located at the Roxbury Mall in Succasunna, NJ above the Bank Of America.  He has been practicing dentistry for 30 years, and has been placing & restoring dental implants for just as long.  He is considered an expert in the field of dental implants, proven by his Diplomate status within the American Board of Oral Implantology and advanced degrees within other implant organizations.  “Dental implants have always been an interest of mine.  I sought out education early in my career and quickly turned into both a provider of the services to the public, and an educator to dentists who also share the interest.”
Dr. Goldberg intends to provide information regarding many implant topics: what implants are, what you can do with them, who is / is not a good candidate for implants, the treatment process, maintenance, expectations, complications, financials & financing, and more.  One area he will spend time on is full-arch implants: this is a very common procedure that generates much interest, and he is well known for providing this service.
“We provide free consultations within our practice, but some people are just not at the point they are ready to move forward with their dental care.  I have found seminars provide an anonymous way for people to start getting their thoughts together regarding what they know they will eventually need.”
As mentioned above, registration is required.  The seminar will held at the Courtyard by Marriott located at 15 Howard Blvd in Mt. Arlington.  It will start promptly at 9:30am with will last between 1 and 1.5 hours.  To register for the seminar, please go to MorrisCountyDentist.com/seminar or email patientcare.mcda@gmail.com with your first name, last name, and telephone number. …About Dr. Goldberg / Disclaimers:  Dr. Ira Goldberg has been performing implant procedures for 30 years.  He is a General Dentist.  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.  He is also a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry.  For more information, please visit his website at www.MorrisCountyDentist.com  

New Jersey Gymnast Crowned US National Champion
By Megan Roche
Hezly Rivera, a 17 year old gymnast from Oradell, has earned herself another accolade: USA Gymnastics 2025 National Champion.
Rivera, who most notably competed as the youngest member of Team USA during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, started gymnastics at the age of five. She had attended a friends birthday party at a local gymnastics facility and fell in love.
While working her way through the ranks, Rivera has had the opportunity to represent the United States internationally at the 2022 DTB Pokal Cup in Germany, the 2023 Junior World Championships in Turkey, the 2024 Jesolo Trophy in Italy, and the 2025 Senior Pan American Championships in Panama.
She was a key member of the 2024 Paris Olympics Women’s Gymnastics team that won a team gold medal.
During the National Championship competition in August, Rivera had a strong showing on balance beam, floor exercise, and uneven bars. She was the all-around leader after the first day of competition. Scores from the first day of competition are carried over to the second day and after the second round of competition, both days scores are added together for the final outcome.
Rivera earned the all-around win with a final score of 112.000 to claim victory.  It is her first senior national championship title. She is the youngest champion since 2017.
“It means the world to me to take this national championship title home because I have worked so hard for this. It was not easy coming back after the Olympics. I took some time off, but did so much work in the gym, blood, sweat, and tears, so I am just so grateful that I am here today,” Rivera said in an NBC Sports interview after her win.
She also earned individual championship title on floor exercise and balance beam. She is a co-champion on the uneven bars alongside Skye Blakely, a University of Florida gymnast.
Along with winning the championship title, Rivera also earned herself a spot on the U.S. Women’s Senior National Team, where she will be given opportunities to compete to represent the United States on the international competition circuit.
Her next stop will be a training and evaluation camp for a spot on the U.S. Gymnastics World Championship team. The World Championship competition will take place in Indonesia in October.
Photo: Hezly Rivera receives her medal atop the podium at U.S. Gymnastics Championships in August. (John Cheng/USA Gymnastics)

NJ Starz: Scott Brunner
Hometown: Lawrenceville
By Evan Wechman
The New York Giants have had some solid quarterbacks during their history. Many fans remember the grit, determination, and mental toughness which Scott Brunner brought to the team in the 1980’s.  Brunner who also played high school football at Lawrence High School, in nearby Lawrenceville, NJ was drafted by the Giants in 1980 and played some pivotal games for the franchise during his time there.
Brunner replaced the highly regarded Phil Simms in 1981 due to an injury and led the team to the playoffs. In the postseason, he helped the Giants capture a Wild Card victory over their rival, the Philadelphia Eagles in overtime. They lost in the next round, but the victory at Philadelphia gave the Giants their first road postseason win in franchise history.
Brunner did continue to play for the Giants and a few other teams in the NFL (National Football League) during the decade, but his rise to the professional level started nearby at an early age.
He was raised in a football family in both New York and Pennsylvania but moved to Lawrenceville before his junior year in high school. He was involved with almost all sports, and his father was also a Head football coach at many universities throughout the area.  This exposure to sports at a young age made Brunner adept at almost all athletics but particularly shined at football and baseball.
According to Brunner though, when he moved to Lawrenceville, it became apparent that he would concentrate his efforts on football as he had the most talent for that sport.
“It kind of became clear that of all the sports that I played, I was probably the best in football,” Brunner said.” So, when I moved to New Jersey my junior year, I gave up some of the other sports, like baseball which I had played most of my life when I was young. I gave that up and ran track because I thought track would be better for football with speed and stuff like that.  So, that’s kind of when it became clear that football was the path I was going to take between my sophomore and junior year in high school.”
Brunner was very successful in Lawrenceville as both an emerging quarterback and a student, and had many colleges interested in awarding him a scholarship to play at their school. He was recruited by several Ivy League colleges, the Naval Academy, the University of Rhode Island, and even Clemson University.
However, for Brunner, the best path was south down I-95 where he decided to enroll as a student-athlete at the University of Delaware.  For him, it wasn’t that difficult of a decision.
“My dad was a college coach and coached at Villanova, Temple, and Princeton and I had gone to a number of games when I was in junior high or grade school that he was coaching against Delaware,” Brunner said.  “So, I went to some games at Delaware, and it was a pretty vibrant experience to go to a game down there.  And I knew of Delaware; they had great teams and had been in the playoffs and won national championships.”
Brunner thrived at the University of Delaware as he brought his school an NCAA Division I Football Championship in 1979 by defeating Youngstown State University in the final.  He threw for over 2400 yards and a then school record of 24 touchdowns that great season, earning All-American honors. He has since also been inducted into both the University of Delaware Athletics Hall of Fame and the NCAA Division I Hall of Fame.
Brunner was coached by legendary Head Coach Tubby Raymond in college, who was still developing his coaching career at the time. Nonetheless, their relationship was very productive and helped prepare Brunner for the upcoming 1980 NFL Draft.  However, he knew getting drafted, especially from a small football program like the one at the University of Delaware was not a sure thing.
Brunner did receive a hint a few days before the draft began from New York Giants Head Coach Ray Perkins who visited him at home in Lawrenceville.
“We worked out for a few hours, and he (Perkins) told me that they really liked what I was doing and though I was not a first-round pick, if I was available somewhere in the middle of the draft, I was likely going to get their attention,” Brunner said.
Brunner was still nervous because it was not a guarantee as team’s plans often change.  However, the Giants did keep their word, and they announced the selection of Brunner in the sixth round.
Quarterback Phil Simms, who had been drafted by the Giants in 1979 was already cemented as the starting quarterback, and Brunner was solely concerned with just making the team as a back-up to Simms.
“It wasn’t just Phil; there were other quarterbacks who were competing for the back-up positions,” Brunner said. “Phil was going to be the starter, but it was a matter of climbing over those three or four other guys who had already been there. So that was really my first goal, to climb over the guys who were there, because they were only going to keep two or three quarterbacks on the roster. That was the goal, to be one of the two or three quarterbacks who were left on the roster.”
Though Brunner did come in to take over the helm of the starting quarterback role when Simms became injured, his composure and mental sharpness kept him from feeling overwhelmed. He did not feel the moment was too big for him.
“If you’re on the team at the NFL, you obviously have the physical skills to compete, so it’s just a matter of going into games prepared and understanding how to react. You make your mistakes, and you move on. And that’s basically the mindset you have to have as a young starter in the NFL,” Brunner said.
Though Brunner did compete with Simms at different times during the following years, Simms eventually took control of the position. Brunner left the Giants in 1984 and was a back-up on a few other teams before retiring prior to the 1986 season.
However, Brunner’s intelligence and the preparation he showed in the NFL served him well after his football career.  He was able to work successfully in the real estate development and construction industry after his playing days.
According to Brunner, since many professional football players were not making the big dollars, they do today, him and others often worked other jobs in the offseason.
He strengthened his relationships with the various businesses he worked with when not playing, and eventually landed on Wall Street, where he was very successful for over two decades.
However, his love of football always stayed with him.  Even while he was commuting from New Jersey to Manhattan, he would spend weekends training top quarterbacks who were looking to be drafted by an NFL team. Prior to the 2008 draft, he spent much time tutoring   New Jersey native and future Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco.
One of the reasons many young quarterbacks have sought Brunner’s help is because he did not come out of a major football university, but a smaller school.
However, according to Brunner, “If you’re a good high school quarterback, there’s a college out there you can play at, whether it’s Division III or Division I. It’s a matter of getting yourself up to performing and getting yourself seen by the coaches.”

NJ Starz: Eric Alter
Hometown: Livingston
By Stefanie Sears
Apricot Sky Productions will be celebrating its 25th anniversary with THE 25TH ACT, 8 Best Short Plays From 25 years of Apricot Sky, this fall. Housed in The Deron School of New Jersey on Grove Street in Montclair, the company provides accessible theatre to locals and neighboring towns.
The production company got its name from the title of it first show before it was even established, Under the Apricot Sky: An Evening of One Act Plays.
Meet Eric Alter of Livingston, the mastermind behind the whole operation. As Director of The Deron School, Founder and Artistic Director of Apricot Sky Productions, a proud member of the Dramatist Guild, and a playwright himself, he has the convenience of a theatre venue right on school grounds to present such productions.
However, live theatre was not Alter’s original desire. He initially had a passion for screenwriting.
“When I was working at the school, I was trying to find my way and I wanted to write movies,” explains Alter. “My aunt said to me, ‘It’s really hard to write a movie. Why don’t you consider writing a play and you can put it on at the school?’ I’d seen up until that point three plays in my life. I just was not into theater at all. But then I was like, ‘Maybe if I write theater, maybe people will come who like my writing, and I might be able to get an agent.’ That’s how I kind of started. My aunt said, ‘You have this free theatre to use. Why don’t you just use it?’ So I just learned how to do playwriting. I bought a book of short one act plays called Welcome to the Moon by John Patrick Shanley.”
Alter is a self-taught playwright. He never studied playwriting at school, but he did attend one course at The New School and a couple at the Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey in Madison and mainly learned the structure of playwriting from reading plays and studying people.
Apricot Sky Productions opened the doors of the 360-seat The Grove Street Theatre for the first time in April of 2000 with four short plays and one longer play about the dating scene called Nice Guys Finish… A woman who came to the show suggested that he bring the play to New York. Alter heeded the woman’s advice and the play was then performed at the New York Comedy Club.
Since then, Alter’s works have been published and produced all over the world. He has 182 plays to his name, 45 of which he has sold to magazines such as PLAYS! The Drama Magazine For Young People. One has also been published in the Glencoe National Textbook.
But this is not to say though that Alter has abandoned screenwriting altogether. His TV pilot “180 Days,” which is about a man on a job interview who is inadvertently thrown into an administrative position at a school, is available for streaming on Tubi. It premiered in 2023 at the Big Apple Film Festival in New York City and features actors Conor Romero and Richard Kline, to name a few.
A future endeavor that Alter hopes to accomplish is producing a feature film. His short play In Reverse Order was adapted as a short film, available on YouTube, and he is now looking to make his feature play Love, Lewis into a movie.
“I never thought I’d be where I am 25 years later. So I’m pretty proud of everything that I’ve accomplished. From 2000 till about 2012 I tried to do one New Jersey show and one New York show a year. It didn’t always work out that way because it was really hard to do the shows in New York.”
THE 25TH ACT will showcase eight of Alter’s best one acts, six of which have been performed before, plus two pieces making their debut, a nice balance of looking back at the last 25 years while also presenting new material. Alter has welcomed other playwrights to submit their creations for Apricot Sky Productions over the years as well.
Alter notices improvement in his writing. For example, he used to overwrite his work, but he has now learned to curtail that, thus mastering the art of short plays and one acts.
“I learned how to tell a story quickly. Writing a full length is extremely hard. You have to hold everybody’s attention for 90 minutes to two hours, and that’s really tough. The reason I like the one act is because people can come to see an evening of eight one act plays, and if they don’t like the first play, they’re not stuck there. When you go see a movie or play, if you typically don’t like the first 10 minutes, you’re not going to like the next two hours. So in a one act, if you don’t like the first one act, you might like the third and the fourth and the fifth and the sixth. Or you might love the first, but not like the second and the third, but then love the fourth, fifth and sixth. So it just gives everybody a sort of a menu that they can choose from.”
Alter expresses appreciation for the individuals he has worked with over the years. He learned that you must put your ego aside and trust your people.
“The company has grown. We don’t have a traditional company where it’s just certain people and they don’t work with other companies. I never wanted my company to be that way, especially in community theater. I use the same people and they are free to do whatever they want to do. Over the years, I’ve had some really great people that I’ve worked with who taught me a lot. I’m lucky that I have worked with good people who understand what I want. It’s a collaboration. 90% of the people that I have worked with over the years have been fantastic collaborators and fantastic people.”
Even though the venue has its limitations, Alter also notes that production quality of Apricot’s shows have increased as well, such as adding stage and wing space and new equipment, sound machines, and lights.
Due to the stress and anxiety that putting on a show entails, Alter often jokes that each current show will be his last. But would he ever really discontinue Apricot Sky Productions?
“What happens is, because you’re a lover of the arts and you’re a lover of writing, you get itchy, you get bored, you want to showcase your new work. To be honest with you, I would really like to hand over Apricot Sky to somebody else who wants to run with it and make it their own company. They probably could do a way better job than me. Eventually I would like to pass it on to somebody where I would just be the playwright-in-residence sometimes and you can utilize some of my work, but they could really run it and do whatever they want to do, because you can do a lot more than I can do.”
THE 25TH ACT will take place September 26 to 28 and October 3 to 5, Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 1:30 PM. Tickets are $25 Standard and $20 Seniors/Students.

NJ Starz: Gerry Cooney
Hometown: Fanwood
By Evan Wechman
Retired boxing legend Gerry Cooney spends most of his time these days helping people recover from prior mistakes.  He himself is no stranger to second chances. There’s an adage that “a champion always rises.” For Cooney that has been true both in and out of the ring.
Cooney is well known for his 1982 title challenge against World Heavyweight Champion Larry Holmes in what was one of the most anticipated fights of all time. Cooney was the leading undefeated contender for the championship and was coming off a quick and dominating one round knockout win over former champion Ken Norton.
Fans of Cooney were ecstatic about their chances of winning the title and consequently, the fight drew a then-record gate of $7.29 million. Fans not only packed Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas but fight afficionados throughout the country watched the fight on closed circuit television in jammed theaters and clubs.
Though Cooney fought valiantly and rose back up from the mat after being floored by Holmes in the second round, the fight was eventually stopped in round 13 as Holmes retained the championship.
Though Cooney gave Holmes all the champion could handle, he fought sparingly during the next several years until his retirement in 1990.
According to Cooney, high profile fights such as the won he fought against champion Larry Holmes were both intense and glamorous.
“You’re in the dressing room and someone knocks on the door, and they open the door, and they say, ‘Cooney, you’re next.’ And the first thing is, you negotiate, then you walk down the second corridor, and your life passes before you. And then they open the door to the stadium, and you hear the roar from the crowd, and that’s where the magic happens. That’s where you figure it out. That’s when you make a plan.  So, it’s a process, like everything”
This foray into the limelight was where Cooney thrived. He is still viewed by most boxing experts as a great puncher who had not only a highly successful professional career, but delighted fans as an amateur while capturing two New York Golden Gloves titles.
In fact, Cooney’s triumphs in the Golden Gloves earned him a punching bag from the then popular sporting goods chain, Hermans. Also, he was featured a multitude of times on the cover of the sports section of various New York City newspapers for his amateur conquests.
However, Cooney’s greatest triumphs probably occurred after his boxing career concluded. He not only co-hosts a boxing talk show on Sirius Radio, “Friday Night at the Fights,” but has taken the initiative in various non-profit pursuits. For example, he has continued to help former boxers and troubled youth find meaning in their lives, and most personal to him, help alcoholics rise off the floor and embrace sobriety.
Though Cooney was raised in Huntington, NY, he now has called Fanwood, NJ home for over two and a half decades. He is happily married to his wife Jennifer and has raised three children in the small borough in Union County.
However, his successful and happy post-boxing period almost never came to fruition due to his inclination to consume alcohol.
Cooney admits he started off on the wrong path when he was a young adult trying to pursue a career in the fight game.
“I got caught up in the fast lane. I grew up with it in my family,” Cooney said. “My father was a heavy drinker, and I was never going to be like him. And I think that the pressures of life came on and I really got a chance to get to a high level in amateur boxing.
And obviously I’d go and fight, but then I’d have some beers and then it took me a long time to stop that. I’ve been without alcohol for over 37 years.”
” I was under a lot of pressure; my father was a very angry man. I took to fighting to help me express the anger I felt through all that stuff,’ he added.
This anger helped fuel the power and ferociousness Cooney displayed in the ring where he won his first 25 fights leading up to his prime-time fight against Holmes.
However, his fascination with the spotlight and the rise in his self-esteem from the crowd cheering him on to victory almost cost Cooney everything. These same issues however have cost many former boxers from being able to move past boxing once their career has hit its downside.
“It’s a tough game, you’re in the spotlight and you’re making big money,” Cooney said. “You think it’s never going to end, but it does, and most guys are not taught to pay attention and to protect themselves and to not spend all their money and get too crazy. I paid attention to that. I was never really a big spender, so I held on to my money, mostly. It’s a tough game. You think it’s never going to end, but it does.  The rainy day is coming. We don’t know when, we don’t know where, but it’s coming so you have to protect yourself.”
Cooney has not only trained fighters in the ring on sharpening their skills but works with both them and former greats on the business aspects of life. Since boxing is often a short-lived career, the Fanwood resident helps show his colleagues how to save money, learn job skills and often transition to a different career.
Cooney also finds great satisfaction in helping people in turmoil. He often speaks with young kids going through conflict in various group homes throughout New Jersey. He finds that they often see him as a mentor, and he grows as well by seeing the changes they can make in their life.
The same can be said for the multitude of jails and prisons he visits often to inspire others, many of whom have wound up behind bars due to an addiction to alcohol or other drugs.  Cooney serves as an inspiration and model of someone who has fallen but always gets back up.
“I still get around and talk to people in trouble,” Cooney said. “Sometimes I go to prisons and share my story, about how I got knocked down, and got back up for success, how I turned the page and got on with my life and found out what’s next for me to do. So, I mean, that’s something that’s been forgotten about. The family system is broken down. And so, a lot of these guys, they drink, or they take drugs, and they wind up doing stupid things and wind up in jail.  So, I like to communicate that in order to stop that process, you’ve got to stop drinking, you got to stop drugs, and then you have other options.  We have options in life, but once you put a drink or drug in your system, it’s over. There’s no more options.”
Cooney is an ardent believer of the process and power of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). He contends that the camaraderie and reliability of the anonymous meetings is what drives people on to sobriety.
He has supported countless individuals in AA but refuses to provide any names or pertinent information about them, stressing that the heart of the AA program lies in its focus on anonymity.
Regardless, Cooney believes wholeheartedly in the enduring spirit of people and their ability to overcome adversity.
“We can become a champion by putting it (drink or drug) down and doing the program.”

Love Is The Key To Heaven’s Door,

And Forgiveness Is The Force That Unlocks The Bolt

By Richard Mabey Jr. 

Now at 71 and fighting an advanced case of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, I have thought more and more about what Heaven is like. Jesus of Nazareth told us that there are many mansions in Heaven. I think that Heaven is a vast place, with many places and nooks and crannies. I want to be reverent and respectful here. My main point is that death is not something to fear, but rather to be looked upon as simply entering another room. As if you are simply walking from your kitchen to your living room.
God blessed me with a kind, patient, loving mother, and a strong, hard working, practical father. I grew up in a Christian home and began attending Sunday School at the age of three. In my early childhood, my mother would read me Bible stories, before I fell asleep at night.
I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that Heaven is a real place. And, our life does not end when the heart stops breathing and the lungs stop taking in air. Death is nothing to be feared. But, it is important to prepare for one’s passing, in both practical ways and in spiritual ways.
Having recently been to a few doctors and gone through even more cardiac tests and procedures, my doctors have told me that my heart has gotten worse in the past year or so. As the chest pains increase, in both degrees of discomfort and frequency, I find myself more and more preparing for my own journey to cross over from this physical world to the Heavenly World. My two basic elements of preparation, for this journey, lie in reading the Holy Bible more and more and in praying with more focus and concentration.
I believe love is the key to opening the door to Heaven’s Gate. And, as a corollary to this poetic image, forgiveness is the force that unlocks the bolt to Heaven’s Gate.
If you are faced with a terminal illness, please do not panic and allow your heart to be filled with dreaded anxieties. Take time to read the holy scriptures of your faith. Pray, pray and pray for God to bring comfort to your heart and wash away any and all anxieties that may be plaguing your heart and mind.
Please know that this universe was not created by accident, but rather by an Infinite Wisdom that is far beyond our human comprehension to fully understand. Please know that God loves you, more than you will ever know. 

Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He has had two books published. He hosts a YouTube Channel titled, “Richard Mabey Presents.” He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@gmail.com.

The Transistor – the Tiny Giant That Changed the World

Henry. M. Holden
In 1936, Mervin J. Kelly, then director of research at Bell Laboratories (Bell Labs) and later their president told William Shockley a young physicist working in the vacuum tube department that it was his belief that telephone exchanges would work better and faster if they were electronic.
Around this time, engineers at American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) realized that vacuum-tube circuits could not keep pace with the growing demand for increased phone call capacity due to their poor reliability and large power requirements. Kelly assigned Shockley to explore semiconductor technology as a replacement for vacuum tubes.
With that information, Shockley began tinkering with the notion of adapting electronic techniques to switching and began exchanging ideas with Walter Brattain, and John Bardeen all, young Bell physicists whose special interest was copper oxide rectifiers. The problem was that the use of electronics in switching would require an amplifier better than the vacuum tube which required too much power and generated too much heat.
The hunt for a better amplifier started with Shockley, and  a Bell Telephone Laboratories program of basic research on solid-state physics in 1936. That research eventually produced a replacement for the vacuum tube in the 1950s and eventually gave us integrated circuits and microprocessors. It spawned a huge semiconductor industry generating hundreds of billions in sales. The fruit of their conversations in December 1939 was what Shockley called “in principle a sound concept of a semi-conductor amplifier” or what was to become known as a transistor.
Shockley and the other physicists continued their experiments for the next two months, but the early results were not encouraging, and their energies were redirected to the World War II efforts. They resumed their experiments after the war.
However, behind this story of invention is one of collaborative genius, serendipitous mishaps, and secret research. We’ll look back on this period that launched the serious study of solid-state devices. We’ll also look at the early history of vacuum tubes and transistor development.
The transistor, revolutionized electronics and paved the way for modern computing, communication, and countless technologies we rely on today.
Lee de Forest was an electrical engineer and the self-described “Father of Radio” and a pioneer in the development of sound-on-film recording used for motion pictures. He had over 300 patents, but also a tumultuous career; boasting that he made (then lost) four fortunes. He was also involved in several major patent lawsuits and spent a large part of his income on legal bills.
His most famous invention in 1908 was the three-element “audion” (triode) vacuum tube: the first practical amplification device. That would lead to the transistor. These made radio broadcasting and long-distance telephone lines possible. . q      Although de Forest had only a limited understanding of how it worked, it became the foundation of electronics, making possible radio broadcasting, local and long-distance telephone calls, and talking motion pictures.
My attention to electronics began at an early age when I received a basic radio kit called a Crystal Radio, from my parents.
A good antenna and ground were needed for reception.
My crystal radio employed a galena crystal with a “cat’s  whisker” for detection, a homemade coil with slider for tuning, and headphones. This common circuit did not use a tuning capacitor but used the capacitance of the antenna to form the tuned circuit with the coil.
As a young engineer with New York Telephone, I was present for the last gasp of the mechanical switching techniques used to allow a subscriber to make local and long-distance calls. I went to work when the mechanical switching techniques of the “Cross Bar 1” office (c 1938) which at the time I joined had more than 20 – years in service.
The switching of subscriber calls in the network involved the operation of hundreds of relays to advance the 24 and 48 volt Direct Current for operating voltages needed in the network. The challenge was to make sure that the relays which collectively amounted to thousands of contact points passed through the network. Any carbon deposits created by the relays halted the call until the carbon deposits were burnished off the relay contacts.
The next step was the introduction of “Cross Bar 5” which introduced IBM-type punch cards. They did little to speed up the call and nothing to ease the heavy maintenance required. That would be the job of the transistor.
The invention of semiconductor devices made it possible to produce solid-state electronic devices, which are smaller, safer, cooler, and more efficient, reliable, durable, and economical than thermionic tubes.’
On December 16, 1947, William Shockley, John Bardeen, and Walter H. Brattain, all Bell Laboratories engineers, in Murray Hill, New Jersey invented the electrical device known as the transistor. For this, they were awarded the 1956 Nobel Prize in physics.
Beginning in the mid-1960s, thermionic tubes were being replaced by the transistor. However, the cathode-ray tube (CRT), functionally an electron tube/valve although not usually so named, remained in use for electronic visual displays in television receivers, computer monitors, and oscilloscopes until the early 21st century,when flat screens became available.
The transistor could manipulate external electrical current through controlling creating and amplifying them.
The transistor is widely considered the greatest invention of the 20th century because the introduction of semiconductors sparked a revolution in electronics on par with that of steel in the Industrial Revolution.
Using improved semiconductor materials developed for radar detectors during the war, Shockley experimented with a field-effect amplifier, similar in concept to those patented by other scientists, but had failed to work.
By the early 1950s advancements in semiconductor devices made it possible to develop solid-state electronics like the transistor ,smaller, cooler, more efficient, and more reliable than vacuum tubes. Despite this, cathode-ray tubes remained essential for visual displays in televisions and computer monitor into the 21st century.
Advancements in semiconductor devices made it possible to develop solid-state electronics—smaller, cooler, more efficient, and more reliable than vacuum tubes. Never the less, the cathode-ray tubes remained essential for visual displays in televisions and monitors into the 21st century.
On December 16, 1947, their research culminated in a successful semiconductor amplifier. The germanium crystal they had set up in contact with two wires two thousandths of an inch apart began to amplify a signal forty times. The “transistor effect” had been discovered.
On December 23 they demonstrated their device to Bell Lab officials and in June 1948, Bell Labs publicly announced the revolutionary solid-state device they called a “transistor.”
Life would not be as we know it, without the transistor, which was invented just over seven decades ago. It is considered by researchers and historians leading to groundbreaking advances in computing, communications, medicine, and practically every technically related field. Without it, developments such as the personal computer, cellphones, the GPS system, pacemakers, hearing aids, and the Internet would not exist.
The transistor revolutionized electronics and became the foundation for modern computing, and countless technologies. Its name implies a “transfer of resistance,” and its development marked a turning point in technological history. The impact of the transistor can be traced through the evolution of integrated circuits, the microprocessor, and the massive growth of the semiconductor industry, which today generates hundreds of billions of dollars in sales.
Bill Gates once said his “first stop on any time-travel expedition would be Bell Labs.”
Before transistors, most electronic devices such as computers and radios relied on electronic vacuum tubes. They consisted of electrodes in an evacuated bulb through which an electric current could be passed and controlled. This allowed the tubes to function as amplifiers and switches.
Life as we know it would be unimaginable without the transistor. In the more than seven decades since its invention, it has enabled advances in computing, communications, medicine, and nearly every technical field. Personal computers, cellphones, GPS, pacemakers, hearing aids, and the Internet all owe their existence to this tiny, transformative device.
For Ashley Asdal and Riamede Farm,
Community through farming is the focus
By Steve Sears
2005 West Morris Mendham High School graduate, Ashley Asdal, is planning her class’s 20^th reunion, and it will occur at a very special place – her farm.
Asdal is the owner of 68 acres of beauty called Riamede Farm, located just minutes from Main Street in Chester, New Jersey
Asdal, reflecting while seated inside the Riamede Farm market, said, “I think that the stronger our community is, whether that is in the businesses working together, or families having a place to bring their kids and run up and down my hill when we have a music event, I just think it’s really important to build community.”
Asdal, who spent four years as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy before serving eleven years on active duty in the United States Navy, studied in the two-year New Jersey Agricultural Society and Rutgers University NJ Agricultural Leadership Development Program, is on the Morris County, NJ 4H Association board, and is also the Treasurer of the New Jersey State Horticultural Society.
“Nobody taught me how to run a farm,” Asdal said. “I really did not have any farming background. But I was getting out of the Navy, and Debbie Post, the previous owner here, knew I was thinking about that, and she asked me to come up and meet her. I think she wanted another woman to run it, and I think she wanted to make sure it was someone who would keep this alive. I do not know what she saw me, but I think it was the right call. I am here, I love it, and I really am putting everything that I have into making this work.”
Riamede Farm was incorporated in 1951 and has been a you-pick farm since 1974. Lowry and Maria Mead in the 1920s started planting apple trees on the property, and they were selling apples by the 1930s.
Asdal’s “intellectual partner,” Jamie Bourgeois, is Riamede’s farm manager.
“He has been here 16 years,” Asdal said. “He got out of college two years before me, and pretty much came straight to the farm. Jamie has very good skills at growing beautiful apples and vegetables.”
Riamede Farm donates many pounds of apples and vegetables to local food banks through the Farmers Against Hunger and America’s Grow-a-Row programs. Additionally, they work with the Interfaith Food Pantry in Morris Plains through the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, which provides grant money that funds food purchases from farmers.
In addition to apples and market vegetables, soon the peach trees planted a few years ago will start to produce, providing another you-pick opportunity at the farm.
Asdal said, “Now that I have this platform that I can share, I think it’s important to do so.”
What Riamede Farm contributes to the local community, Morris County, and the state of New Jersey is pretty abundant, but there are also the little things that matter here, and that is future generations of farming, namely Asdal’s four-year-old son, Oliver.
Asdal said, “He’s really proud of a harvest. We (she and her Riamede farmhands) might be out for six or seven or eight hours, and he is out for one hour of that. He picked radishes for me, and the two of us picked maybe 30, but he really picked 10 pounds of radishes that I sold, and he was so proud. He is a farm kid.”
Riamede Farm is located at 122 Oakdale Road in Chester, New Jersey. Visit www.riamedefarm.com.
(Photo: Apple picking at Riamede Farm (credit: Riamede Farm)) 
Why is Washington D.C. the Capital and Not Trenton?
By Henry M. Holden
Did you know that Trenton was at one point the capitol of the United States?
Philadelphia was also under consideration along with New York City. How did the country end up with Washington DC?
After the Revolutionary War, Trenton was the capital of the United States from November and December of 1784. Many of the residents thought the city should be considered as a permanent capital.
The Founding Fathers were debating fundamental rights and the relationship between protections of liberty and the separation of powers. On the agenda was whether the capital of the new United States should remain in New Jersey.  Many delegates favored New Jersey with access to the Delaware River just outside Trenton.
The Continental Congress met in Trenton in November and December of 1783. Trenton was a permanent capital, by some of its residence but the southern states favored a location further south.
But for providence, the Garden State would today be the home of the capital. It would have the Trenton Monument, the Vietnam Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and everything we associate with Washington D.C.
How did the Nation’s capital end up in Washington D.C.?
There is a saying in real state, that “Its location, location, location.” But it is not always the best location.
Trenton was not an easy city to reach for anyone. Today, a typical trip from Trenton to Washington takes about two hours on the Acella high- speed train. The trip is about three and one-half hours by car on a light traffic day. Imagine the trip in the transportation of the day, horseback or horse and buggy. Things moved very slowly in those days.
Several factors played a role in Philadelphia’s consideration. Philadelphia was geographically centrally located among the original thirteen states. Congress was in Philadelphia. The Declaration of Independence had been signed there, and the Articles of Confederation were drafted there.
Philadelphia was also the center of the “nationalist” faction: Merchants and investors wanted a strong national government that could insure a stable economy. Having just fought a war against a central government most delegates wanted the power to reside instead with the individual states. Philadelphia had roughly 30,000 residents. But in the eighteenth century, Philadelphia would look like a giant megalopolis, and likely the largest city in the English-speaking world.
Trenton was preferred by New England and other northern states as a permanent capital for the U.S., but the southern states prevailed in their choice of a location south of the Mason–Dixon line.
At the time, Newark was not seriously looked on as a candidate since it was referred to as a township, not a city. It wasn’t incorporated as a city until 1836.
In October 1783, many delegates voted to build the national’s capital on the New Jersey site. But the southern delegates refused to concede the issue and threatened to block the two-thirds vote necessary to appropriate the funds to build the new capital combined with the nationalists who wanted to move back to Philadelphia and build two capitals.
To break the stalemate Congress voted a few weeks later to repeal the earlier decision and build two capitals, one on the Potomac River and one on the Delaware River. The government would spend half a year in each.
Proposals came in from states and towns across the country to be host. The town of Kingston, New York, was the first with an offer of a square mile of land. The state of Maryland offered 300 acres in Annapolis, including existing government buildings and the promise of building thirteen official residences for the delegates from the states.
It was further decided that until construction was completed Congress would alternate between Annapolis, Maryland and Trenton, New Jersey.
Two sites had emerged as the favorite. One on the Delaware River near Trenton, and the other on the Potomac River near Georgetown on the Virginia Maryland border
The New Jersey legislature promised to provide #30,000( pounds) to any community in the state that petitioned to become the permanent seat of Congress, and several towns, including, Newark, New Brunswick, and Elizabeth applied.
Congress decided that the best alternative would be to build an entirely new city on vacant land where the government could establish its own laws and authority.
As agreed, to Congress left Princeton for Annapolis in November 1783 and onto Trenton in November of the following year.
At the meeting in Trenton, the delegates began to reconsider the wisdom of their decision. There had been a great deal of criticism of the proposal. “To talk of building cities when they can scarcely furnish money for the paper on which to draw the plans,” wrote one observer “appears to mean something different from wisdom, prudence or policy.”
 Other criticisms sarcastically suggested that Congress put sails on government buildings so they could float from city to city. Another said Congress should put Congress on a floating wooden statue of George Washington. Others said build a giant pendulum in the sky that would swing from the Potomac River to the Delaware River.
More serious were reports that European powers were beginning to doubt the stability of the American government. A committee was appointed to pick a site “not more than eight miles above or below the falls of the Delaware.”
Until the capital was completed it was agreed to move the Congress and the government to New York City. Although Trenton had been hospitable, the small country town was too crowded to suit the delegates.
Before progress could be made on building a new capital other matters got in the way. The growing dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation. The nationals were pressing their campaign for a strong government that lead to the celebrated gathering in Philadelphia that produced the Constitution.
Meanwhile, in Congress, the southern delegates were still anxious for a capital on the Potomac and blocked appropriations for construction of one on the Delaware.
Those who favored limited government thought that the dual capital scheme would prevent the growth of a bloated bureaucracy. They needed to reconsider the two-part government. That is when
Does it was just that delegates changed their minds again they voted to establish a single capital located on the Delaware and authorize $100,000 for construction. The new capital would make a stronger central government. Meanwhile, the southern delegates were still anxious for capital on the Potomac, and blocked administrative appropriations for construction of the Delaware website.
With the strong influence of Alexander Hamilton who was Washington’s Sectary of the Treasury and George Washington the Potomac became the capital of Washington D.C., and the federal government. New Jersey by vote approved overwhelming their new Constitution.
The most influential opponent was America’s hero General George Washington, who said, “Fixing the seat of the empire at any spot on the Delaware is in my humble opinion is demonstrably wrong.” Coincidentally, the general’s home, Mount Vernon, was just a few miles south on the Potomac site.

ArcMorris – Empowering Those with Disabilities
by Elsie Walker

The goal of ArcMorris is to “uplift and empower people with disabilities and their families,” explained Laura Jennings Pitt.  Jennings Pitt is the Director of Development, Marketing, and Public Relations at Arc Morris, which supports people with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (IDD) in Morris County and is headquartered in Morris Plains.  “People with disabilities want to do things [activities] others do,” said Pitt.  ArcMorris helps them to do that as well as provides opportunities for caregivers to get a respite.  Recently, ArcMorris CEO Sal Moran commented on its work to help the people it supports and Jennings Pitt talked about who ArcMorris supports, its programs and upcoming fundraising events.
ArcMorris supports people with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (IDD). This can include Down’s Syndrome, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, and other conditions that affect a person’s cognitive abilities, adaptive skills, and overall development.  Jenning Pitt explained,  “We serve people with a wide range of abilities and challenges.”  Examples include people on the autism spectrum, the non-verbal, etc.  ArcMorris has a clinical program through which individuals are assessed and get a behavioral plan.  Jennings Pitt noted the importance of community involvement and that those who have not been able to go out into the community, for a variety of reasons, are finding success at ArcMorris because of trained staff, personalized care, and specialized equipment to meet their needs.
Moran said,  “Quality programs are our priority at ArcMorris. The people we serve deserve more than a room and a bed; they deserve a fulfilling and impactful life that includes a beautiful living space, community access, and opportunities to pursue their own hobbies and interests. At ArcMorris, we have the privilege of serving our community by building the best possible programs and services to meet the needs of people with disabilities and their families. It is truly an honor to do this work”
ArcMorris offers residential options such as group homes, dormitory style apartments, and a respite home for those it supports.  Jennings Pitt noted the organization makes sure the group homes are ADA compliant such as having wide hallways. They are built with a forward eye as homes that will serve their residents into old age.  The homes are bright and feel like a place where one could entertain friends, and the residents do.  Group homes have those in other group homes over for social gatherings.  “[The group homes] are a  very social environment,” said Jennings Pitt.  Also, the homes have support staff on site 24×7.  The night staff do rounds and some cleaning, while the day staff takes residents to the doctors and for groceries, etc.   The dormitory style apartments also have support staff on hand 24×7  in an office on each floor. The individual residents have sometimes an individual unit, sometimes a roommate. Within the apartment, they have a bedroom and bathroom and kitchen and living area.   The respite home is a temporary residential home for the person with IDD which is designed to give a break to those  who care at home for family members with IDD.   In addition, it is utilized for times a family has to by away but can’t safely take the IDD family member with them.  Also, it is a way to introduce those individuals who may need residential services in the future to that set-up.
Day programs and some after- hours programs are available for those in group homes and the community.  Besides activities for those who attend, the programs also provide caregivers with a respite and allows them to work knowing their loved one with IDD is in a safe and caring environment.  Day programs run from 9am – 2pm at sites in Whippany and Flanders.  Transportation is provided.   There are after-hours programs, too.  However, transportation is not provided.  That program is offered at the Whippany and Flanders site, plus at Paradise Farm in Randolph.
Paradise Farm is a five- acre farm in Randolph which ArcMorris purchased in 2023 to expand its recreational offerings to those it supports.  The farm has a hiking trail, chickens, and a vegetable garden.  It is open all year round and helps those it supports to develop job skills or take up a hobby.  It also has a Spring Break and Summer Camp.  The Spring Break Youth Session is for ages 13-20 and the Summer season has sessions for adults (21+) and youth (13-20). There is also one summer senior retreat for ages 55+.
Jennings Pitt emphasized that the people  ArcMorris supports enjoy the activities in life that everyone does.  As an example of interests, Jenning Pitt noted that in the past a wheelchair bound client was pushed in the New York City marathon representing ArcMorris.   That same person also loves to bowl. When looking for activities for the people it supports, the community calendar is checked to find free concerts and other activities that might be enjoyed.
ARC Morris provides community-based services like project college and a vocational program.  Individuals supported are enrolled at County College of Morris and accompanied by support staff or attend a pre-vocational school with support staff to get job readiness skills.
Jennings Pitt notes that ArcMorris has three annual fundraisers, two of which are close at hand.   September 27 is the date of the 4^th annual Walktoberfest.  The check-in is at 9am at 1 Executive Drive, Morris Plains.  Registration is $30 with children 12 and under free but they still need to register. Registration can be done on the ArcMorris website (under “events”); donations can be made there, too.  The website is https://Arcmorris.org    On October 20^th will be a golf classic at The Knoll Country Club West, 990 Greenbank Drive, Parsippany Troy-Hills. There will be a  Clink and Drink – putt to win rare wines and whiskeys and there will be other prize winning opportunities with prizes including a 12 night stay at any participating Windham Hotel.   (See the ArcMorris website for more details.)  Finally, ArcMorris’ annual gala is May 27, 2026.
Reflecting on the work done by ArcMorris Jennings Pitt noted, “everyday you can make a difference in someone’s life.”
For more information on ArcMorris, visit its site at https://arcmorris.org/

CCM Foundation Golf Classic Moves to
New Venue and Adds Pickleball  
Annual Fundraiser Supports CCM Athletics and Foundation Programs 

Players are invited to enjoy a day of friendly competition on the golf greens or the pickleball courts at the 2025 CCM Foundation President’s Golf Classic, taking place on Monday, October 6. The annual fundraiser will take place at a new venue, Spring Brook Country Club in Morristown, one of North Jersey’s premier private clubs, and for the first time, will include an option to play pickleball. Benefiting CCM Athletics and Foundation programs, this event enables participants and sponsors to directly impact student success, while supporting the community and strengthening the region’s economic vitality.
The day begins at 10 a.m. with registration and a BBQ lunch, followed at noon by a shotgun start for golfers on the championship 18-hole course. Not a golfer? Participates can choose the newly added “Pickleball & Wine Tasting Experience,” featuring a lesson coached by one of the club’s pros, paired with a guided tasting of Italy’s finest wines led by a professional sommelier. At 4:30 p.m., all guests gather for an open bar cocktail reception, buffet dinner and awards program. Both experiences include amenities such as bag drop-off, driving range and locker rooms, along with a special thank you gift, plus opportunities to join in a tricky tray, 50/50 raffle and other prize drawings.
Sponsorships begin at $350, ranging from tee signs and ad journal placements to lunch, dinner and beverage cart sponsorships, all the way up to the Champion Sponsor package. For more information, email foundation@ccm.edu or call 973-328-5060.
Corporate foursomes, pickleball teams and individual participants are invited to pre-register by September 22 by visiting www.ccm.edu/events/foundation-golf-classic-2025/.
Photo: The CCM Foundation President’s Golf Classic, September 2024.

The County College of Morris unveils campus rebrand:
a perspective

By Steve Sears
In August, My Life Publications presented part one of a two-part series about County College of Morris in Randolph’s campus rebrand. For September, we share a reporter’s brief perspective recorded during a visit to the school.
A beautiful, late summer 75-degree day is the perfect time to visit Randolph’s County College of Morris campus, where the beauty of the campus outside the buildings is now mirrored on the inside in various areas, courtesy of a grant from the Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation based in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Adam Koppelman’s SpeedPro Imaging Services Group of Totowa, New Jersey.
County College of Morris (CCM) has always been and continues to be a welcoming place for both its students and the community.
CCM had entered The Million Dollar Community College Challenge offered by Lumina Foundation, was selected as a top 10 finalist, and received a grant which it used to rebrand their website. The school was then invited to apply for another grant for environmental branding.
Melissa Albright, CCM’s Vice-President of Marketing, Public Relations & Enrollment Management, said, “One of our faculty members (Kelly Whalen, Chairperson for Design and Media Studies), prior to the rebranding, had come to us and proposed a different project, but it included environmental branding, and had mentioned Adam and his work.”
It should be noted that you can read another’s perspective of the work, but to see it up close is very invigorating.
You feel welcome. You can – will – accomplish much here.
Entering the Student Community Center, visitors are greeted by two wall to floor murals which say, “Discovery Grows Where Curiosity Flows” and “Stay Grounded. Connect with your roots. Turn over a new leaf. Bend before you break. Enjoy your unique beauty. Keep growing.”
SpeedPro Imaging Services Group worked on the first and second floors of the Student Community Center, the Health & Physical Education building, and more. Project lead was Gina Garcia, CCM’s Creative Services Manager, who did the planning, design, and helped oversee the installations.
Outside the Office of Campus Life, Titus the Titan, CCM’s new mascot, is surrounded by a number of young adults, his arms outstretched, a symbol of the institution’s desire to make you – whether a current or prospective student, visitor from the community, or CCM employee – very welcome.
Descending the stairs to the Workforce Development area, footsteps echoing, you find that this is no bland stairwell. A mural of a hiker atop a plateau overlooks a vast region of blue sky and mountains.
“GO BIG! DISCOVER POSSIBILITIES” are the adorning words. CCM is such a launch pad that you feel you can meet your future, and it is a bright one.
Perhaps the most beautiful of SpeedPro Imaging Services’ work is in Sheffield Hall at the Veterans Resource Center. An image of a beautiful American flag set aflutter dominates the wall, and nearby in the Health & Physical Education building, a three-dimensional Titans head and athletic stripe remind you are in Titan Country. Entering Jack Martin Gymnasium, you sense the legendary coach’s presence. His signature greets you from the hardwood floor and, 94 feet away, the evolution of a Titan head adorns the end of the court padding along the wall.
“Evolution” is the key word at County College of Morris. The college is constantly evolving and growing, and it encourages the same in those who populate its 222-acre campus.
Koppelman’s case study for the CCM project can be found here: https://www.speedpro.com/services-group-nj/county-college-of-morris-rebrand/