Some of those images are on display at Sandrian Camera on 72 South St.  Receptions are scheduled today, May 22,  2013, from noon to 2:30 pm and again from 6 pm to 8:30 pm at the shop. All are invited.

“A customer saw my postcards of Historic Morristown in Sandrian’s and bought large prints for a conference room,” Pam explained. It triggered the idea for an exhibition. Prints by the women are for sale at prices ranging from $250 to $800.

Photo of the Wick House fence, by Pasm Hasegawa, from her exhibition at Sandrian Camera in Morristown.

Pam’s interest in photography began in the mid-1970s, when she became friends with a Morristown woman who was a photo researcher for a textbook company, Silver Burdett.

At the time, Pam’s children modeled for some textbook pictures. Pam became fascinated with the process, and started submitting her own shots.

“They told me how to tighten up the presentation, and what they looked for,” Pam said.

She also struck up a friendship with Judi, a graduate of the College of Saint Elizabeth in Madison who did photography for Morristown, The War Years 1775-1783, a book created in cooperation with the National Park Service, Pam said.

Judi and Pam worked for Taurus Photos, a stock photo agency.

Pam said her pictures landed in UNICEF desk calendars, among other places.  She vividly recalls a frosty January trip to photograph the Statue of Liberty for another client.

By the 1990s, consolidation in the photo industry and the rise of digital photography–which turned virtually everyone into a shooter–made it hard to continue making a living in the business, Pam said.

But she has still mounts joint shows with painter Laurie Harden, who shares her artistic vision. “We paint and photograph life as it happens,” Pam said.

Photo by Judi Benvenuti, part of an exhibition at Sandrian Camera in Morristown.

And she keeps snapping photos for causes she supports.  Pam has advocated strongly for the rights of adopted children like herself to obtain the identities of their birth parents.

She also documents her periodic travels to Japan on behalf of the Asian Rural Institute, an organization that teaches sustainability and leadership skills to people from poor regions.

More recently, in response to the school massacre in Watertown, CT., Pam co-founded the Morris Area Committee to Reduce Gun Violence. Her Canon G-9 accompanies her to every event.

The Sandrian show gives she and Judi, who specializes in images of historical re-enactors, a chance to get back to their photographic roots.

“I’m excited because for me, it’s a huge boost to my career as a photographer,” Pam said.

Politics can get dirty in Morristown.

Need proof?

Check out our video from Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the Speedwell Avenue redevelopment.

Councilman Stefan Armington and Mayor Tim Dougherty usually get along just fine. But on this day…

The comical moment came about 11 years after town officials first contemplated remaking the neighborhoods around Speedwell.  Phase One of the four-step project calls for 268 apartments on the town’s former public works site, between Early Street and Atno Avenue.

If all goes smoothly, the first tenants will move into the complex, dubbed “Latitude,” in late summer of 2014, said Rich Murphy, managing director of Mill Creek Residential Trust, the developer.

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“We believe very strongly in Morristown,” he said. “We love the atmosphere in Morristown. We love that our residents can walk on a Sunday morning for a cup of coffee. We love that they can come home and walk to a restaurant.

“When we’re done here, it’s going to be something special. I think it’s going to give a real shot in the arm to this neighborhood,” Rich said.

The moribund economy could not stop the project, a testament to Morristown’s desirability, said Mayor Dougherty.

“Morristown continues to lead the way for the rest of the state,” he said.

Latitude will include 26 deed-restricted affordable units. Plans also call for a game room, fitness center, rooftop deck and shuttle to the train station. The building will be designed for energy efficiency, and kitchens will have granite countertops and stainless steel, energy-saving appliances, according to the developer.

'WE'RE SAFE NOW, RIGHT?' Mayor Tim Dougherty, Councilwoman Alison Deeb and developer Rich Murphy pose for cameras. Another councilman who dug in with too much gusto showered the Mayor and developer with dirt. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Most of the apartments will have one- or two bedrooms. Previously, Rich estimated rents ranging from around $1,800 to $2,600 a month. Prospect Street is scheduled to be extended through the property next spring, linking to Early Street.

Mill Creek, formerly part of Trammell Crow, closed last Christmas Eve on the $3.5 million purchase of the municipal land. Demolition of existing structures started in January, and a cleanup of oily soil was completed recently. The town agreed to pay up to $500,000 for the remediation.

Over the next two months, paving will commence for a 357-space parking garage; framing for the structure should follow in August, Rich said.

The Mayor credited Jonathan Rose Companies, the planning firm he hired soon after taking office, with getting the long-awaited project moving.

But the happiest guy at Tuesday’s ceremony may have been architect Dean Marchetto, who scrutinized facades elsewhere in Morristown and hopes to replicate the same feel with brickwork in his Latitude design. A park will be centrally located, with building exteriors serving as walls framing the green space, he added.

“For architects, we dream of these things,” Dean said of the groundbreaking. “We draw on paper. But when it finally takes shape, it’s very special.”

About a year from now, Mill Creek expects to break ground on Phase Two of the project. Another 200 apartments will go up next to Phase One, on the site of the ambulance squad headquarters.

Presumably, the ceremonial shovels will be distributed much more selectively.

Rendering of 'Latitude' apartments, which is replacing Morristown's public works garage as part of Speedwell Avenue redevelopment.

Welcome to another episode of Joe Mahoney, from the pen of Morristown cartoonist Matt Keown. In between weekly installments, Mahoniacs can enjoy a daily dose of fun at JoeMahoneyComics.com

Please click to enlarge

By Matt Keown

Welcome to another episode from Morristown cartoonist Paul Laud.

This week: Scandal at the IRS

Paul Laud is the author of ‘Laughing Out Laud, Tripping Over Party Lines’!

And check out our podcast with Paul.

Please click to enlarge

By Paul Laud

In Morristown’s Democratic council primary, it depends which side you’re on, according to candidates who spoke Monday at a League of Women Voters forum.

The incumbents’ ticket painted a picture of three people rowing in the right direction with Mayor Tim Dougherty, heading for a vibrant, walkable town while holding the line on taxes.

Challengers insinuated council members are rubber-stamps for the mayor, and spoke of disenfranchised voters, traffic and high taxes.

Three at-large seats are up for grabs in the June 4 primary.

Morristown council candidates await questions at League of Women Voters forum. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Incumbents Michelle Dupree Harris and Toshiba Foster and running mate Michael Elms are being challenged by former Chief Housing Inspector Tommy Alexander, planning board member Michael Pooler and environmental commission member Jessica Williamson.

No Republicans filed for the primary; any noise from them in November would come from write-ins.

The Democrats fielded a half dozen written questions from the audience at the Thomas Jefferson School, in a forum hosted by the League’s Morristown-area chapter.

Monday’s format called for brief answers and even shorter rebuttals; candidates were not given the opportunity to grill each other.

Broad questions required few specific answers, and so the evening played out more like a series of candidate impressions than action plans.

Questions touched upon the town budget, and costs for police and firefighters; affordable housing; the downtown; property maintenance; programs for teens, and government transparency.

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‘NO ONE’S PUPPET’

Borrowing a page from President Obama’s first campaign, Mayor Dougherty has made “open and transparent” government a theme of his administration.

“I think a better word would be opaque. A little cloudy, don’t really know what’s going on. Deals made here, deals made there,” said Jessica Williamson, who is making her second council bid.

“I will be no one’s puppet, I will not be intimidated, and I will not be told how to vote,” she said.

Tommy Alexander asserted residents feel “disenfranchised, because they’re not listened to when they come to town hall, or treated with any respect. And that my dear friends, must stop.”

He also accused unnamed officials of “inefficient meddling” in municipal operations. A veteran of 35 years as a town employee, Tommy stepped down after being convicted last year of neglecting his dog. An appeal of that conviction was postponed on Monday in Superior Court.

Council President Michelle Dupree Harris offered a different view of town hall.

“When I think of transparency, I think about honesty, I think about providing facts,  having no hidden agendas. And I think our administration has been doing that over the course of X number of years,” said Michelle, a teacher seeking her fifth council term.

While Tommy and Jessica claimed residents are fed up with “outrageous” taxes, Michelle said it’s just not so.

“We’ve had a decrease in taxes in the past three years. So when it comes to property taxes, I think that you should be elated,” she said, adding that council members are easily accessible, from email to the grocery store to open council meetings.

“Don’t take my word for it,” Michelle told the audience. “You need to attend a meeting. You need to learn how your government works, and learn for yourself. Don’t just take it second hand.”

STRIKING A BALANCE

Toshiba Foster and Michael Elms said they like the downtown, though they agreed it doesn’t need any more bars.

“We obviously need to strike as balance with the homeowners and the quality of life and with the bars and nightlife in town,”  said Michael Elms, a realtor, who contended that the town has made progress in the last three years.

He envisions a walkable, pedestrian-friendly, “vibrant center where people come to eat, and shop, and laugh and have fun, and spend money, and make this town a successful place for commerce.”

Michael Elms replaced Councilman Kevin Gsell on the ticket last month after the incumbent quit the race just after the deadline for ballot changes. The challengers lost a court bid to block the switch.

Affordable housing also stirred passions.

“I’m a product of affordable housing, so I believe affordable housing should be for everyone,” Michael Pooler said. “But also it should not just be in one part of town. Our diversity is our strength.”

Toshiba Foster, co-founder of the nonprofit Our Youth Their Future, voiced gratitude for her subsidized housing, and pledged to push for more affordable units.

Morristown has  “dire need” of them, said Tommy, whose daughter and small child cannot afford the town’s “exorbitant rents.”

Jessica, who described herself as a fourth-generation Morristown resident, said she plans to raise her two daughters in town and buy a house. “If it’s not affordable, how am I going to do it?” she said.

Working with nonprofits, the town has rehabilitated houses on Abbett Avenue, Madison Street and elsewhere for affordable housing, said Michelle. She also cited interests in creating  a town teen center and housing for children like her daughter, who have intellectual disabilities.

Michael Pooler, who proposed greater use of social media and shared computing services with neighboring towns, said Morristown must limit building heights to protect the character of the town Green.

“We’re struggling with whether we want to be historical, or trying to be like Hoboken,” he said. “This is historical Morristown. That’s what our master plan says. So moving forward, that’s a very important issue that needs discussion.”

‘The East’ is moving north…from Morristown to Parsippany for a May 22, 2013, screening.

Clearview had said the cineplex lease was expiring and it would close on May 19, 2013.

A spokesman for the prospective suitor, Bow Tie Cinemas, said on Monday that the Headquarters Plaza landlord had broken off talks:

“Bow Tie’s negotiations with the landlord have terminated at the landlord’s request.  We do not know what will happen to the theater,” Christopher Beattie said in a statement.

Representatives of the Fisher Organization–the landlord–and Clearview did not respond to requests for comment on Monday.

Because of the uncertainty, the New York Film Critics series has moved its May 22 screening from Morristown to the Clearview Parsippany 12 on Route 46.

Actress Patricia Clarkson is scheduled to field questions about her new spy thriller, The East.

Morristown High School teachers John Madden, Danielle Firavanti and Marina Bragina have been awarded Saul S. Swanger fellowship grants for 2013.

The $2,000 awards, honoring a man who taught math for four decades at MHS, is meant to “encourage effective teachers and counselors to pursue a professional passion through a course of study or other activities that would not be otherwise possible,” according to an announcement on Monday.

John and Danielle, who teach English, plan to use their shared grant to continue their Sol-Lewitt Inspired Freshman Experience, a three-week project in which incoming freshman create an 8-by-40-foot mural that requires collaboration, communication, research and problem-solving. Launched last fall, the program taps ideas of the late artist Sol Lewitt and emphasizes the process as much as the end product.

Marina, a math teacher, will use her $2,000 award to explore ways to integrate technology into math classes. She will study at the Anya S. Greer Conference in Mathematics, Science and Technology at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire.

Danielle Firavanti, John Madden and Marina Bragina have won Saul S. Swanger teaching fellowships ar Morristown High School. Photo courtesy of Marcia Heiden

Scene from an MHS Film Festival entry. The show is set for May 23, 2013.

How does the world look to a high school student in 2013?

It should come into focus on May 23, at Morristown High School’s first film festival.

“I’m very impressed by the overall quality, especially by the entry level kids, the freshmen,” said broadcasting teacher Mike Butler, a former director for Court TV.

More than 40 short documentaries will be screened, starting at 7 pm; the public is invited. The film component has been added to the school’s annual Art & Design Week, which kicks off on May 21 with a 6 pm reception.

Scene from MHS Film Fest entry.

Video entries range from serious subjects like bullying, teen pregnancy and homelessness to breezier fare, including the life of a fictitious band and an homage to bacon, Mike said.

One piece explores an African immigrant’s road to freedom; another digs into New Jersey’s underground music scene.

There also is a clever retrospective about the band Green Day. Another student examines the high school experience from the vantage point of a freshman, sophomore, junior and senior, the teacher said.

An anonymous donor has contributed prizes.

Judging will be handled by Caits Meissner of the Tribeca Film Insitute, Mark Ehrenkranz of the New York Film Critics series and Brad “Bisco” Smith, a graphic designer, painter and filmmaker.

About 25 videos will be screened in the auditorium, and more films will run in the lobby. Check them out… and see if they inspire you to submit your own short documentary to the Sixth Annual MorristownGreen.com Film Festival this summer.

Scene from MHS Film Festival entry.

Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Morristown Area, the 90-minute forum starts at 7:30 at the Thomas Jefferson School.

Council candidates for the June 4 Democratic primary are scheduled to field questions submitted by the public.

Incumbents Michelle Dupree Harris and Toshiba Foster are running with Michael Elms, who won court approval to replace incumbent Kevin Gsell, who stepped down after a filing deadline had passed.

They are being challenged by planning board member Michael Pooler,  former town chief housing inspector Tommy Alexander, and environmental commission member Jessica Williamson.

The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival?

Not this time.

The Lords of Liechtenstein--Noah and Dan Rauchwerk--perform in the MG tent at Festival Earth. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

We’re talking about Festival Earth in Morristown–and what a festival it was on Sunday, thanks to a couple of young singers from Liechtenstein.

Okay, technically speaking, brothers Dan and Noah Rauchwerk hail from Holmdel. But they perform as the Lords of Liechtenstein, and that’s close enough for us.

Dan, 24, and Noah, 18, regaled visitors to our MorristownGreen.com tent with an afternoon of original songs and cover tunes that had people dancing in the streets. (Fortunately, traffic was cordoned off.)

Thank you, Gentlemen! Thanks, too, to MG Contributor Marie Pfeifer for helping with concert security, and to our friends at Sustainable Morristown, organizers of Festival Earth, for their hospitality.

MORE ABOUT THE LORDS OF LIECHTENSTEIN

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He can show a brand new CD, I’ll Be Coming Home, recorded with his SteppingSTONE band.  And students can tell their parents to catch the group live on May 24, 2013, at the Dublin Pub on Pine Street.

Actually, none of this should come as too big a surprise at the TJ and Sussex Avenue schools, where Brad, 37, teaches instrumental music to 4th and 5th graders.

In 2011, he performed an instrumental version of U2′s With or Without You at the packed Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown’s Got Talent!, a benefit for the Morris School District, his professional home since leaving Jersey City five years ago. He also helped lead an impromptu sing-along with all the contestants at the talent show.

We caught up with Brad online to talk about his twin careers.

Morristown teacher Brad Marullo, left, with his band, SteppingSTONE. The group will perform tracks from its new CD, 'I'll Be Coming Home,' at the Dublin Pub on May 24, 2013.

MORRISTOWNGREEN.COM: Congratulations on your new CD, I’ll Be Coming Home, with your SteppingSTONE band. I understand that creating this CD was an emotional experience for you and your band-mates. Tell us about that.

BRAD MARULLO: It definitely was. We put everything we had and every free moment into this CD. It’s something we are all very proud of.

The album is something we all have a strong connection to. We are all a part of the music in one way or another.  For me personally, it is that life journey filled with one of the many joys of gaining experience that comes with age and just “growing up.”

Also, tapping into these life experiences and being touched and inspired  by them, and by certain people you meet along the way that certainly makes an impact. The colors and layers I added are all directly and indirectly outpourings of those experiences and people in my life.

Combined with that, is just the fact of working with Ryan, JP, Eric and Tom.  It has been a very rewarding experience.  When I first heard Ryan’s music, I immediately connected to it both musically and lyrically.  He is such a good storyteller with a soulful voice, that you can’t help but connect to the music. Working with these talented guys has helped us create and build a strong friendship and bond between us. You can hear the musicianship and chemistry throughout I’ll Be Coming Home.

MG: How long have you guys played together? How did SteppingSTONE get started? And what about that name?

BRAD: We have played together for about two years as the SteppingSTONE BAND.

A few of us played in another band together and that is basically how we all met. Tom Casperson, our drummer, met Ryan Schutz [lead singer] a couple of years ago and joined the band first.

Brad Marullo, right, with the SteppingSTONE band.

He then brought in Eric Schaberg [vocals, violin, cello, mandolin] and myself and when I knew we needed a bass player I gave Jonathan Presnell (JP) a call because I knew he would be a perfect fit with his playing abilities and strong background vocals.

The name SteppingSTONE Band has a different meaning for all of us, I think. For me, I see it as a journey through life. Throughout life we will always encounter all these SteppingSTONEs that lead us and make us who we are.

Each stone we step on is an experience, an education and a moment in time that hopefully will lead us in the right direction. I think our music shows that, and Ryan is such a good storyteller with his lyrics, you can hear how both lyrically and musically our songs have become living, breathing outpourings of ourselves.

MG: Your day gig, as a teacher at the TJ and Sussex Avenue schools, is pretty demanding. How do you find energy to record and perform?

BRAD: That is a great question. I love my job as a teacher and working with my 4th- and 5th graders. It is demanding, but any stress I feel is all coming from a good place and for a good reason. I think the old adage  “choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” holds true to some extent.

Brad Marullo. Photo by Vicki Birmingham

With that said, it is tough finding the time to record and perform and then be up early the next day for 4th- and 5th grade band rehearsal.

To be honest, sometimes I do feel like I am burning both ends of the candle but that’s what it is all about. I am just happy I can take what I have learned from being an active musician and bring it to my students in the classroom, and vice versa, take what I know from teaching and bring it to the band.

The same holds true for our violin player Eric Schaberg. He is the stings teacher at Randolph High School and his knowledge of teaching and music theory helps the band out so much.

MG: A couple of years back you competed in Morristown’s Got Talent. How did your students respond to that? What did you learn from the experience?

BRAD: Yes, performing for MGT was a great experience and another SteppingSTONE that was important in my life. The response from the students and the community was excellent. Their support was something I will always remember. It was great walking the hallways in school and all the kids coming up to me saying they saw me in the paper or on stage.

I think that is important for kids to see their teacher living what they teach. That was one of the main reasons why I auditioned for MGT. I learned a lot about performing as a solo artist, which is difficult and much different than performing with a full band. It’s not an easy thing to be on stage alone…just you and your instrument. That experience alone has made me a better performer.

MG: You’re listed on the CD liners notes as playing guitars, keyboards and lap steel. Do they ever let you sing? Do you write songs?

BRAD: I do help out a little with background vocals when we perform live. As far as writing songs, I do write my own songs but all the ones on I’ll Be Coming Home were written by Ryan Schutz.

MG: Which gives you greater pleasure–shaping a song in the recording studio, or performing it live?

BRAD: Another great question. Both are great experiences, but I think building the songs and adding our parts in is greater pleasure. Our drummer Tom Casperson said it best. Our songs are like a painting and we all take a brush and add our colors to the canvas.

Brad Marullo and Robert Matarazzo, contestants in the 2011 Morristown's Got Talent!, work out a number backstage. They later led a jam session that preceded announcement of the winners. Photo by Vicki Birmingham

One of the best moments on this album for me is when we first wrote and heard Bottle Of Wine. I remember rehearsing at Tom’s house in Andover and we were all downstairs taking a lunch break and Ryan went upstairs and started messing around with Bottle Of Wine.

A few minutes later I went upstairs and started playing the guitar hook and then Eric, Tom and JP came upstairs and added their colors.

The song was born and really blossomed into what it is today. Very cool experience to see something start so small and then metamorphose and grow into what it is today.  Amazing process to see.  I actually still have a recording of that rehearsal and that moment.

MG: How did you get into music? Who were your influences? Is guitar or keyboard your preferred instrument? What do you enjoy most about playing?

BRAD: I got into music when I was in sixth grade. My Uncle Pat had passed away and left a piano and guitar behind. My parents started me on piano lessons for a couple of years and later on I eventually found my Uncle’s guitar in my brother’s closest collecting dust. It was then that I was bit by the bug.

My two brothers have also been a big influence in my life. As the youngest, they always looked out for me and had my best interest at heart. I always looked up to them and gravitated towards what ever they were doing or into. I remember as a teenager, I would sneak into my bother Jer’s room and go though his CD collection.

At the time, CD’s were new and he had a small collection of about 15 CDs, which was a lot back then and amazing to me. I would listen to Pink Floyd (The Wall) and Zeppelin’s Since I’ve Been Loving You over and over and be amazed at what I was hearing. Jer also played the drums, so him and I would jam and write songs all the time. It was a great outlet and bonding moment for us.

MG: For people who will be seeing your band for the first time at the Pub, what can they expect?

BRAD: This is not a band we formed to just to have fun or be weekend warriors. We believe in what we created. This is real music and well written and they should expect to hear great music and something the five of us are all very proud of.

MG: What musical projects are next for you?

BRAD: We are hoping this CD will lead to better gigs. Maybe a festival or two, or open for someone. So right now we are working towards widening our playing radius and getting our music out there. We also started talking about working on new music and eventually recording a follow up CD.

MG: Thanks, Brad. Keep the hits coming!

Brad Marullo, a teacher at the Thomas Jefferson School played an instrumenal version of U2's 'With and Without You.' Photo by Bill Lescohier

On Sunday, the Mayor’s re-election campaign sponsored a “Women in Red” cocktail social at the Iron Bar to promote awareness of heart disease.

'Women in Red' event to raise awareness about heart disease among women, at Morristown's Iron Bar. The event was sponsored by the re-election campaign of Mayor Tim Dougherty, pictured here. Photo courtesy of Mary Dougherty

From left, Karen, a representative of the American Heart Association; Councilwoman Toshiba Foster, Mayor Tim Dougherty; Vera White and Diana, a heart attack survivor. Photo courtesy of Mary Dougherty

Two thousand CDs from WFUV, on sale for $1 apiece or less.

Thirty-six quarts of ice cream.

Four sizzling Americana musicians.

David Wax and Suz Slezak of the David Wax Museum, at the Sanctuary in Chatham. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Add them up and you’ve got the annual end-of-season ice cream social at the Chatham concert series.

The Americana was courtesy of the hyperkinetic David Wax Museum–featuring Harvard-educated David Wax on guitar and vocals and Suz Slezak on vocals, fiddle and quijada, the jawbone of an ass.

(The drummer and bass player were good, too, but we can’t find their names anywhere.)

Rhythm guitar seldom gets its due, but David’s inspired strumming was the centerpiece of the band’s Mexican-flavored repertoire.

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Another highlight was the quartet’s non-amplified trek into the audience for a song. Suz perched on a chair and played her fiddle. The drummer grabbed a guitar and found a comfortable pew in the Presbyterian Church. David sang from the church balcony.

Scott Sheldon, founder of the series, and his wife Barbara DeWilde at the Sanctuary in Chatham. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Ice cream and bargain CDs also were hits with the crowd. The evening concluded the Sanctuary’s 13th season, which counted Roseann Cash, John Sebastian, the Desert Rose Band, Dave Mason and DALA among its 22 concerts in the 425-seat church.

“We sold out 80 percent of our shows,” said Scott Sheldon, Sanctuary impresario. “I think people really appreciate the low cost, and the opportunity to see these kinds of performers in such an intimate setting.”

Season 14 commences in August and is scheduled to include Kathy Mattea, Nick Lowe, Paula Cole, and Jill Sobule with Julia Sweeney, among others.  We can hardly wait.

We have a nice dry tent where you can relax and enjoy video hits from the MorristownGreen.com Film Festival. There will be lots of great live music, too, and healthy food, green cars and many other fun diversions.

So join us and our friends from Sustainable Morristown between noon and 6 pm today, May 19, 2013, at the Morristown Green.

Here is the schedule for the main stage:

FESTIVAL EARTH 2013 SCHEDULE

Noon-12:15 pm The Presbyterian Church, former owner of the Green, reflects about caring for the planet and each other

12:15 pm-12:45 pm Music – Mari Byrd (Bluegrass/Rock)

12:45 pm-1 pm SusMo, Mayor Dougherty, sponsors

1 pm-1:40 pm Music – Seventh Stage (rock covers)

1:45-2 pm Music – 1st Ave – (Youth)

2 pm-2:40 pm Music – Bobby Syvarth (Jazz)

2:40 pm-3 pm Green Divas

3 pm-3:40 pm Music – Lords of Liechtenstein (Folk)

4 pm-4:40 pm Music – Universal Rebel (Reggae/Dub)

5-6 pm Original Music School – Student bands

On Sunday, May 19, the Presbyterian Church in Morristown begins our Summer Worship schedule of one service at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary at 57 East Park Place, Morristown.  This vibrant Youth Sunday service will be led by children and youth in celebration of Pentecost through music, readings and drama.  The Bel Melodia, Bel Canto and Spirito choirs will perform vocally and on handbells.  The youth will share a dramatic reading  and our Confirmation class of 14 will be recognized.  Childcare is available next door at our Howard House facility.

Also on  Sunday, May 19, GROW (Grandparents Reaching Out for Worship) meets after worship in Mutch Hall (back of the Sanctuary, 57 East Park Place, Morristown) for a light lunch and meeting to prepare for  Grandparents Day on June 2. We welcome anyone who plays a part (or wishes to) in the spiritual formation, guidance and Christian development of young people.  See our website for more information here.

The Morris County Park Commission paid homage to its volunteers with music and food on a recent evening.

Many of them contribute 100- to 500 hours a year to preserve the beauty of the county’s extensive park system. Their efforts  include landscaping projects, children’s classes and events, an annual plant sale and tours.

Denise Lanza of the Morris County Park Commission speaks at event honoring volunteers. Photo by Marie Pfeifer

Denise Lanza, assistant deputy director of the commission, summed up the spirit of volunteerism by quoting Voltaire: “Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”

For more than 50 years, volunteers have been the backbone of the commission’s preservation work. In keeping with the spirit of volunteerism, the New Horizons Band provided a lively performance of patriotic music under the direction of David Mende, a retired music teacher and a musician in the West Point Concert Band.

The selections ranged from Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, made popular by the Andrew Sisters in 1941, a salute to Louis Armstrong, selections from Sousa, and Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline.

The exuberant Seventy-Six Trombones was carried off very nicely by Anne Korpita, the lone trombonist in the group. The band is looking for 75 more trombonists. The performance ended with a lovely rendition of  God Bless America.

In 2007, Jennifer Danziger, an instrumental music teacher at Briarcliff Middle School in Mountain Lakes, took a sabbatical to realize her dream of starting a New Horizons Band for mature adults. After doing so, Jennifer returned to teaching and Damian Cremisio took over.

Rich Furlong, a retired guidance counselor and history teacher, is realizing his dream of becoming a musician. As a child he took some piano lessons but never developed his interest in music until he joined the band. He now performs with three bands, and plays clarinet, bass clarinet and the saxophone.

The New Horizon Band performs at volunteer appreciation night for the Morris County Park Commission. Photo by Marie Pfeifer

The Veterans Network of GE Aviation Systems decorated veterans graves at Evergreen Cemetery, prior to Memorial Day. Photo by Berit Ollestad

Memorial Day is coming. You can tell by looking at Morristown’s Evergreen Cemetery.

Its Veterans Slope is a sea of red, white and blue, thanks to the Veterans Network of GE Aviation Systems in Whippany.

GE volunteers were out in force this week, planting 1,400 U.S. flags at the graves of veterans, said Lech Sierpowski, team leader of the Veterans Network and a veteran of the Iraq campaign in 2003.

Some 28 volunteers pitched in at Evergreen, he said.

Lech and his colleague, John Wilber, are joining 500 GE employees from the United States and Untied Kingdom in Washington DC from May 22-25, to brainstorm about how to expand the network and help returning service members transition to the workforce, Lech said.

We salute Lech, John, and their co-workers for remembering the vets.  And our thanks to MG photographer Berit Ollestad,  and to cemetery volunteer Jerry Barnette.

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