Week in Review: Parsippany Teens Get Leadership Lessons

: About 200 students of the township's two high schools converged on Parsippany Hills High School Wednesday and Thursday for the fourth annual Student Leadership Retreat. The event is designed to teach student leaders strategies for stopping bullying and helping make schools safer and better. The gathering also sought to encourage community service. Activities were facilitated by teachers, administrators and school staffers—about 40 in all donated their time to the effort. Speakers at the event included businessman and altruist Michael Levine and Mayor James Barberio.

: The Par-Troy East 10/11 Little League All Stars little league baseball team can add the title "state champion" to its list of achievements. The  Parsippany team had a tough battle against South Vineland in the title game at Edgewater on Saturday but ultimately came out on top, 6-5.

 
: Superior Court Judge Thomas L. Weisenbeck decides Aug. 18 whether he will hear a charge of an alleged illegal campaign contribution by the father of William “Hank” Lyon—the upstart Republican Morris County freeholder candidate who ousted incumbent Margaret Nordstrom in primary race tallies so far. Alternately, the case could go to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission. Once jurisdiction is decided, testimony from up to 24 Parsippanny voters could be heard beginning Aug. 18 as a trial begins to determine the winner of the June 7 GOP freeholder primary. Right now, Nordstrom trails Lyon by six votes, although that may change once the court considers Nordstrom's petition alleging that some of the votes cast for Lyon were illegal ballots.

: On Thursday, the Christie Administration announced that Parsippany's Knollwood Elementary School will receive a $222,272 grant through the Schools Development Authority’s Regular Operating District Grant Program. The funds will help pay for the installation a new boiler for the school. The township is putting up the remaining $333,408 of the project cost. School Superintendent LeRoy Seitz said the district is grateful for the grant, which will help in its quest to upgrade school buildings in the township.

: Cablevision has begun its effort to keep its franchise in Parsippany going. Gary Shaw, the company's director of governmental relations, appeared before the Town Council at its Aug. 8 meeting to answer questions from the council and the public. Most had to do with rising costs, which Shaw explained as the cost of doing business. He noted that programming costs rise an average of 15 percent per year, adding that while Cablevision's costs do go up, it isn't by that 15 percent. Though terms of any new contract have yet to be negotiated between the council and the cable company, any renewal will be for a maximum of 15 years with an option for an automatic 10-year renewal. The actual deliberation—and perhaps a vote on the renewal—is expected to take place at the next Township Council meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

: Parsippany Patch needs photos of the World Trade Center buildings for our upcoming coverage of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Please help if you can.