We hope you
will enjoy this
issue and all our
issues for many
years to come.
If you would like
to submit articles,
press releases
or story ideas,
please email us at
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Mary Lalama has decided to publish a community monthly newspaper in Mt Olive and Hackettstown after seeing a void to be filled. Mary and her husband Joe Nicastro who live in Flanders were the founders of the Mt Olive Weekly News and Hackettstown Weekly.

Since selling those papers Mary has started a publica- tion in Long Valley and Chester titled The Black River News and Joe is a General Manager at North Jersey Media Group. Living locally they wanted to publish good news, something both Mary and Joe have done with every paper they have owned.

"I have always found that giving people good local stories with no negatives has been a good formula," Mary says. "Especially during tough times and being bombard- ed with bad news people like to come home and see some good things that are happening in the communities where they live".

Mt Olive This Month , Hackettstown This Month and The Black River News will be joining with our sister papers The Morris Canal News and The Muscanetcong News in your mailboxes each month. We will provide advertisers a way to reach thousands of potential cus- tomers and give our readers information from throughout

We hope you will enjoy this issue and all our issues for many years to come. If you would like to submit articles, press releases or story ideas, please email us at mjmediaeditor@gmail. comFor advertising call 973-

held a one hundredth birthday cele- bration for one of our first residents, Rose Madsen. A great party, with live entertain- ment, was enjoyed by Rose's Family, fellow Paragon Village residents and visiting dig- nitaries.

Rose was recognized with resolutions from: The Morris County Freeholders: pre- sented by Freeholder Margaret Nordstrom,

The Township of Mount Olive declaring Friday, Jan. 23, 2009 as Rose Madsen Day: presented by Mayor David Scapicchio

Rose Madsen was born January 23, 1909 in Grantwood, NJ to Joseph Safino and Grace Caccola .

Wednesday, February 11 - The Allamuchy Board of Education will be hosting a Community Forum at 7:00 pm in the Allamuchy Township School located at 20 Johnsonburg Road. At this meeting, repre- sentatives from the Board of Education will update residents about the construction project at the former Villa Madonna con- vent. This construction is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2009-10 school year. Jay Perantoni, from SSP Architectural Group will be on hand to answer any ques- tions that residents may have regarding the construction project. In addition, it is anticipated that representatives from Centenary College, the Morris Center YMCA and the West Morris Area YMCA will be in attendance to discuss their plans for programming in the Rutherfurd Mansion, a 1903 historical treasure which is located on the property. For more informa- tion, please contact the school at 908-852- 1894.

Thursday, February 19 \u2013 Blood Drive at ShopRite of Succasunna, 10:00 am \u2013 8:30 pm 281-031 Route 10, Succasunna. Call 973-584-1322 for more information or to pre-register.

Sunday, February 22 - JCC MetroWest presents the Metropolitan Orchestra of New Jersey featuring distinguished conductor Michael Stratechuk at 3:00pm, in the Maurice Levin Theater of the Leon & Toby Cooperman JCC, Ross Family Campus,

760 Northfield Avenue, West Orange. The Metropolitan Orchestra is composed princi- pally of experienced non-professional musicians from the Metropolitan New York/New Jersey area.

Thursday, February 26 \u2013 Women\u2019s Networking - You are invited to an evening of Networking - 6:00 pm , fine food and entertainment at Centenary College, Hackettstown (Snow date March 5) The evening begins with a networking reception where you will be introduced to the United Way of Warren County Women\u2019s Leadership Council members; attend an open council meeting, and play \u201cYou May Go Now\u201d at the Centenary College Little Theater. Playwright Bekah Brunstetter will join us prior to the performance to dis- cuss the content of the play and her path as a writer. Register by visiting: www.united- wayofwc.org/NewSite/News.asp?Category Name=Calendar . Please consider joining us for this exciting evening \u2013 bring your friends!

Thursday, February 26 - Planning an event for your organization, business or the com- munity? The Warren County Convention & Visitor Bureau can help you promote your event to thousands. See how at one of our Marketing minars: Thursday, February 26 and Thursday, March 5. Check the website for details and locations.

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heat things up. The good news is there\u2019s no need to look too far. New York City is coming to Mt. Olive. Comedian Charles Wilkins will be headlining and emceeing shows featuring some of today\u2019s funniest comics at the Mt. Olive Bar & Grill on Route 206 in Flanders.

During a comedy show in November at the Grill, Wilkins said people were quite sur- prised. \u201cThey thought they were at a major comedy club in New York like Caroline\u2019s or Stand Up New York. They said it was like going to New York without going to New York. It was right in their backyard.\u201d