Home Care In Randolph, NJ

RANDOLPH, NJ- Millbrook Ave. bridge reopened at 5pm yesterday which County Bridge Restoration Project Completed Before First Day of School

Morris County officials cut a ribbon this morning at the historic Millbrook Avenue bridge in Randolph Township, celebrating completion of a two-month restoration project and announcing the span will be reopened today at 5 p.m.

“We have phenomenal partners: the Township of Randolph, municipal officials, our engineering team. This project was done on time and on budget in a very rainy season, so I want to thank the contractor for that as well. The county has a massive amount of infrastructure to take care of, and we understand it’s critical to our businesses and our residents. The county maintains 287 miles of roads and about 1,100 bridges and culverts. This was one of six bridge restoration projects completed since 2022. It was closed 10 weeks and it's great to see this open again,” stated Morris County Commissioner Stephen Shaw, liaison to the Morris County Public Works Department.

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He was joined at the ribbon cutting by Morris County Commissioner Deborah Smith, Randolph Mayor Lou Nisivoccia and Councilmembers Marie Potter, Christine Carey and Joe Hathaway, as well as employees from Morris County and Randolph Township engineering departments and Sparwick Contracting of Lafayette, which performed the restoration work that began mid-June.

The historic stone masonry arch bridge over Mill Brook in Randolph was originally constructed in 1930 and has a span length of 17 feet to carry two lanes of traffic with a roadway width of 23 feet. For more than 90 years it has been an essential link for Randolph Township, connecting the quaint Millbrook community to the modern era. Over time, the impacts of water infiltration and freeze/thaw cycles caused deterioration and stone displacement to the point that the bridge required remediation.

The $697,000 county-funded project, which began on June 19, 2023 included:

Reconstructing stone masonry elements (parapets, retaining walls, and footings)

Strengthening the arch through masonry repairs and the construction of reinforced flowable fill over the arch

Protecting the arch from water infiltration by constructing membrane waterproofing sandwiched between layers of asphalt pavement

Construction of surface drainage improvements

The project required a full roadway closure of Millbrook Avenue between Fords Road and Pierson’s Hill Road. Construction was scheduled between the hours of 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and most Saturdays from 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. to complete the project as quickly as possible.

“I’m happy to see the bridge open. I want to thank the county for all their cooperation. It looks beautiful – it looks just like the old bridge did. For those of us who have been here a long time, it’s nice to know it fits the historical nature of the area, while also adding to modern safety,” stated Mayor Nisivoccia.

Travelers can safely cross again on a newly paved riding surface supported by structurally reinforced walls and arches!

With Schooley’s Mountain Bridge in Washington Township and Millbrook Ave. Bridge completed, the county has completed six bridge projects since last year. Morris County Public Works Director Chris Vitz is looking forward to two more upcoming projects planned for this year: demolition and replacement of the Richards Avenue Bridge over McKeel Brook in the Town of Dover and rehabilitation of a truss bridge on Roxiticus Road in Mendham Township.

MENDHAM, NJ- The Randolph Rams football team is headed in the right direction at just the right time, holding on to defeat West Morris by the score of 14-13 to earn their third straight win. With a record of 5-3 the Rams hope to finish strong and then turn their attention to the playoffs. ( link to extra photos at end of story )

This was a great win that so many people were involved in,” said coach Will Nahan. “Our theme for the week was ‘toughness’ and I can tell you these guys are a tough group of dudes who just gritted it out today,”

Not only did they “grit it out” but they did so right down to the wire, as a late interception by Defensive End James Kleiven deep in Rams territory stopped the Wolfpacks final drive to seal the win with 30 second left in the game.

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“We anticipated a pass on that play, we called a blitz and I had blitz peel, so I was keying on the H-Back,” said Kleiven. He went out (For a pass) and I just made a play on the ball and that ended the game.”

Prior to the interception, the Wolfpack had stopped the Rams on downs, and after a penalty they started the possession at their own 8-yard line. They used 7 plays to cover 60 yards in just over a minute and a half and were threatening from the Rams 30-yard line when Kleiven made his game saving play.

The game was a slugfest, and after the Wolfpack missed a field goal to end the first quarter, the Rams took the lead early in the second.

With former WR Jackson Magley taking most of the snaps at quarterback, the Rams drove to the West Morris 30, with a key play being a 20-yard catch and run by Kleiven. From there, Magley found Josh Anderson in the right corner of the end zone, and the senior QB turned WR / RB made a great catch around the back of the defender for a 7-0 Rams lead. The kick was good for a 7-0 lead with 6:35 left in 2^nd.

“I have played Quarterback my whole life, so it feels great to step in and it feels natural,” said Magley, when asked about the recent transition to QB. ”But, I have to say I am really proud of Josh, he stepped up for us at receiver and also ran for a touchdown at QB for us, so that’s a tough dude right there.”

On their final drive of the half, the Wolfpack drove 80 yards in two minutes using two long pass plays to the right sideline to move to the 10-yard line, and then score with the clock running out on the half to tie the game up.

In the Second-half the teams traded possessions, and then a big play came when the Rams forced a fumble recovered by Dean Mangiocavallo in Wolfpack territory.

“It would not have happened without number 54 Jack Manolis, it was all him and he caused the fumble,” said Mangiocavallo. “When I saw the ball, I just jumped on it as fast as I could.”

That turned into a 3-yard touchdown run by Anderson, who took the snap at QB for that play.

“Honestly, me playing receiver started as a practice joke, but the reality is I just want to step in wherever I can and help the team,” said Anderson, who was then asked about the rushing TD. “That was a designed QB run, and I knew I had to punch it in.”

The Wolfpack took less then a minute to respond, returning the kickoff to the Rams 15-yard line, with the TD saving tackle from Mason Wilson. But two plays later they were on the board with a passing TD into the left corner.

But Kleiven then made a play that would later become just as important as his interception. The big senior burst into the backfield and blocked the extra point to leave West Morris trailing at 14-13, setting up the dramatic ending.

“We were saying we just have to finish during that late drive. “Every play we said next play lets finish cause the game is not over yet and we still had time. Finally, with the interception we did that and finished.”

After his team’s emotional win, coach Nahan was asked about the recent juggling of positions for Anderson and Magley which started in last week’s win over Livingston.

“Team, Teammate, Self – Josh Anderson had both of our touchdowns tonight one running and one receiving,” said Nahan. I couldn’t be more proud of him and of Jackson for they both have played.

The Rams conclude their season next Friday, October 20, when they host Morris Knolls at home for a 7 PM start. ( for extra West Morris game PHOTOS CLICK HERE

RANDOLPH, NJ- The Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) is the largest cheerleading organization in the world. UCA trains over 180,000 cheerleaders and offers over 50 regional events across the country including the National Championship competition at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Individual team members attending UCA camps can perform and train for the honor of being named a UCA All-American. An All-American distinction is an incredible achievement, as each selected student athlete demonstrates tremendous athletic ability and showmanship.

Recipients of the UCA All-American status have the opportunity to participate in the Citrus Bowl, the Varsity Spirit Spectacular, the London New Year's Day Parade, and the Varsity Spirit Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade. Randolph High School is fortunate to have 7 students who earned the distinction of All-American.

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The Randolph High School Sideline UCA All-American recipients this year are Junior Alexa Capriglione, Junior Ella Peretz Gonzalez, Freshman Ana Sharkey, Freshman Mila Peretz Gonzalez, and Junior Gigi Ciottariello.

The Randolph High School Competition Team UCA All-American recipients are Senior Sienna Alexander, Junior Ella Peretz Gonzalez, and Freshman Juliana LoCascio. An impressive thing to note is the fact that Peretz Gonzales was selected for both groups.

The Randolph Cheerleading Sideline team attended a UCA home camp in June while the Competition team attended the coveted UCA Pine Forest Cheerleading Camp in late August this year. Sideline cheerleaders train to keep fans engaged during athletic events such as at football games.

Competition cheerleaders focus on competing at competitions against other teams. Both require the same amount of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. Cheerleading is a highly technical sport which requires student athletes to learn a variety of different techniques including standing tumbling, running tumbling, jumps, dance, and many other skills.

In competitions, judges evaluate performances based on motion, sharpness, placement, timing, spacing, and difficulty including the types of jumps and other skills that cheerleaders are doing as well as overall showmanship. It is broken down to the tiniest components and multiple judges are looking for different things.

The culmination of all these variables is very challenging, and it requires a tremendous amount of precision and ability to be able to do well on the sideline and at competitions.

Dear Residents,

Right now, farm stands display bushels overflowing with freshly-picked, local fruit and vegetables, especially ‘Jersey’ tomatoes! Rich in flavor, tenderness, and juiciness, vine-ripened tomatoes from New Jersey are the best in the world!

Randolph enjoys a rich farming history. Randolph’s first citizens made their living directly or indirectly (millers, blacksmiths, storekeepers, tanners, coopers) from the land. This way of life was characteristic of rural America in the 19th century.

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Fertile Randolph land provided local farmers with an abundance of vegetable and grain crops, peach and apple orchards, and dairy farms. In 1806 – the first year records were kept – the municipal tax assessor identified one-hundred farms in Randolph.

While barely a handful of these farms still exist today, it is only natural that Randolph would someday have its own community garden. The number one past time in the United States, gardening was already very popular in Randolph.

The introduction of a community garden in Randolph epitomized residents identifying a new recreational opportunity, forming a committee of interested volunteers, researching the options, and seeing it through to completion. The community garden movement began with the victory gardens during World War II, when Americans began growing fruits and vegetables in backyards, empty lots, even rooftops to supplement rationed foods.

Randolph’s community garden committee was formed in 2011 and was tasked to evaluate other local municipal community garden efforts and to determine if there was a sustaining interest in Randolph for a community garden. Analysis of other municipal community gardens included the size and number of planting beds, what resources are provided, whether the garden should be organic, and fencing requirements. Years of volunteer effort resulted in the inclusion of a community garden in Randolph Township’s 2016 Parks and Recreation Master Plan followed by site selection in the soon-to-be-developed Veterans Community Park.

Randolph’s community garden is located in the new Veterans Community Park on Calais Road. Veterans Community Park has been recognized with the Morris Park Alliance facility award in 2022 and the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association (NJRPA) 2023 Excellence in Design Award for a Multi-Use Facility in 2023.

Opened in 2020, Randolph’s community garden consists of 168 organic planting beds, each measuring six feet wide by fourteen feet long. Members of all ages and all skill levels from beginners just getting started with gardening through experienced master gardeners each pay a $40 annual fee per planting bed to cover all the expenses of running the community garden, including garden tools, mulch, compost, and water. More than just a planting bed rental, your community garden membership affords you an opportunity to meet some great new friends with whom you can learn and share.

New community garden members are required to participate in an orientation program – topics covered include organic gardening best practices, bug and weed control, and gardener expectations. Periodic meetings are held to cover interesting gardening topics, and there are also walk-and-talk programs where gardeners walk around the garden and share gardening experiences and ideas. Gardeners regularly review bug reports from Rutgers University.

The community garden has proven to be an excellent addition to Randolph’s already extensive list of successful recreation opportunities and has grown to include a pollinator garden in 2021. The garden is also home to blue bird houses, a seed-sharing cabinet, and park benches to enjoy the serenity of the garden with a neighbor and an ice tea. In the spirit of giving back, gardeners have partnered with the Randolph Food Pantry and the Interfaith Food Pantry providing hundreds of pounds of fresh produce annually.

Gardening is considered exercise by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and getting involved with a community garden is an enjoyable means of producing your own food while sharing your gardening passion and expertise with your neighbors.

Please contact the Randolph Township Department of Parks and Recreation at 973-989-7081 to learn more about Randolph’s community garden.

Now more than ever, it is important to stay informed. On the front page of our Township website there is a button labeled “Stay Informed!” If you click on it, you can sign up for Township information broadcast systems and view news, events, and emergency notices.

If I can assist you in any way, please reach out to me. My contact information is located on the Township website. Stay safe, and enjoy everything that Randolph has to offer!

Regards,

Lou Nisivoccia

Mayor, Randolph Township 2023

Captain Joelle YurchukPhoto Credit: Chris Manderioli

Captain and goaltender Stephanie XhumbaPhoto Credit: Chris Manderioli

RANDOLPH, NJ- Randolph High School girls ice hockey is still a young program, as the Lady Rams prepare to skate in their seventh season during the winter of 2023-24. These past two seasons have been their most successful, as the team picked up seven wins in each, while almost achieving their first .500 year at 7-8-1 last winter.

But every new season in every sport brings change, and one challenge for Randolph is the fact that they just graduated their top two scorers in Anna Stock ( 25 goals ) and Stephanie Martin ( 16 goals ). The good news is they returned their two best defensive players in captains Joelle Yurchuk and goalie Stephanie Xhumba.

Yurchuk, a senior defenseman, was the team’s third-leading scorer in 2022-23, and figures to be right near the top again after tallying 11 goals and 10 assists for the Rams last year. She will lead the team’s blue line, while Xhumba will hold it down in goal after posting a .904 save percentage with two shutouts last year.

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“Graduating Anna and Steph was definitely a big loss for our team but we’re generating good offense with some of our returning players,” said Yurchuk. “It’s all about team chemistry and how well we work together, and our team is doing great with that.”

According to new head coach Mike Pizzano, Randolph will look to a group of returning forwards to take a big step this season. Juniors Ellen Dell’Aglio, Yolanda Sabillion, and sophomore Ada Shadwell are three players he named as key returners this season.

“Randolph is clearly a program on the up-and-up,” said Pizzano. “The experience this group has gained in the last couple of years should prove extremely valuable as players jump into larger roles this year.”

Currently, the top forward lines consist of Ellen Dellaglio, Yolanda Sabillon, Lia Carroll on line 1 – and Ava Shadwell, Olivia Olechowski, Amelia Kolbik on line 2.

Joining Yurchuk on defense will be linemate Caroline Coe. On the second defensive line the Lady Rams will skate Brooke Rodell and Lily Zepp.

“The defense is working well together; we’re really starting to connect and work with each other on the ice,” said Yurchuk. “We’ve been focusing heavily on defense in practice with a lot of our breakout drills. Everyone’s been working hard and I’m really proud of how well our team is doing so early on in the season.”

Xhumba, who earned first team All-Conference honors with the Rams as well as All-Star status with her NJ Rockets trave team last winter, will be critical to the Rams success this season. Freshman goalie Maria Dlugolecki ( who also plays for AAA Ironbound Elite ) will be Xhumba’s backup this season, so the Lady Rams should be strong in net.

“We know we can count on one of the best netminders in its conference in Xhumba, as well as a dynamic offensive defenseman in Yurchuk,” said Pizzano. “If we can keep the puck out of our own net and if our forwards continue to develop, Randolph is certainly a squad that can be in the mix for success in the postseason once again this year.”

Randolph opened their season with a 6-1 win over Cranford.