Al in the News…
Zumbini with Allie Celebrates Grand Opening with Ribbon Cutting
NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – Sing, Dance, Play, and Learn at New Providence’s newly opened Zumbini with Allie.
Allie Lasota opened this new spot to be the destination for families in the greater New Providence area relating to children’s music entertainment and provide the “best” experience in music and dance starting at infancy through adolescence in a safe and energetic environment.
Lasota and her family celebrated the grand opening of her new studio with a ribbon cutting ceremony along with Mayor Al Morgan, Councilwoman Diane Bilicska, and Michele Elefante and Cindy Reis representing the New Providence Business Community.
“Welcome to the New Providence community,” said Mayor Al after he cut the ceremonial ribbon. “There is no other facility like this in New Providence. We’re very gratified that you are here.”
Lasota started her business after having her daughter and moving to New Providence where she quickly brainstormed and researched different music and theater programs. She found the Zumbini LLC Franchise and began offering weekday classes, after school classes, and birthday parties. She had a vision of owning a studio and has reached that goal by opening Zumbini with Allie, a children’s music and dance studio.
“I love what I do, and I think my passion really shows,” said Lasota. “I put a lot of love into this studio and believe our community and children really need a place like this to explore.”
Continue readingNew Providence 4th Annual Race Unity Day Set for June 25
NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – The members of the Diversity Committee attended the Tuesday, April 12 council meeting to request the use of Centennial Park on June 25 for the 4th Annual Race Unity Day. New Providence High School students are leading the event and it is sponsored by the Diversity Committee.
This is the second year in a row that youth leaders are taking the reigns of organizing the event, Diversity Committee Sunil Abrol said. The goal of the event is to bring various cultures together and promote diversity. The program includes a series of dance and song performances representing different cultures. Discussion series are also offered and attendees can go around to different booths to learn about various groups or attend activities.
The event will run from 1 pm to 4 pm. The council unanimously approved the group’s request to use Centennial Park. “We look forward to attending,” Mayor Al Morgan said.
New Providence Council Celebrates Winning Hockey and Basketball Teams; Recognizes Public Safety Telecommunicators
NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – It was a proud moment for Mayor Al Morgan and the Borough Council as they recognized the Governor Livingston/New Providence Ice Hockey and New Providence High School Girls Basketball Teams at the Tuesday, April 12 meeting. They also recognized the National Public Safety Telecommunicator’s Week of April 10-16.
The ice hockey team won the Group C State Championship Game vs. Morris Knolls at the Prudential Center on March 7. This year marked the sixth season of New Providence High School ice hockey players participating with their peers from the Governor Livingston High School. The team finished with an impressive 18-6-1 record. Previously, the team earned conference championships in 2017 and 2021.
The mayor and council also honored Head Coach Michael Criscitello for being named the State Ice Hockey Coach of the Year by NJ.com. Criscitello has been with the joint GL/NP hockey team for its entire existence, the first two years as an assistant coach. He was recently appointed Assistant Principal of the New Providence Middle School and will not continue his coaching career next season.
The New Providence Girls Basketball team won the Union County Championship game by topping the defending county champion Westfield High School at Kean University on February 26. This marked the team’s first county championship in 32 years and it is the New Providence High School’s 13th county championship in all sports. The team finished the season ranked 11th in the entire state by NJ.com.
The proclamation honoring the National Public Safety Telecommunicator’s Week noted that emergencies can occur at any time that require police, fire or emergency medical services and when an emergency occurs the prompt response of law enforcement, firefighters and EMS personnel is critical to the protection of life and preservation of property. “The safety of our police officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel is dependent upon the quality and accuracy of information obtained from citizens who telephone the Mountain Valley Emergency Communications Center,” Morgan read. According to the proclamation “the Public Safety Telecommunicators of the Mountain Valley Emergency Communications Center have contributed substantially to the apprehension of criminals, suppression of fires and treatment of patients,” and that “each dispatcher has exhibited compassion, understanding and professionalism during the performance of their job in the past year.”
‘Chat With Mayor’ Resumes Friday, April 1
Office of the Mayor of New Providence
“Chat with the Mayor” is back in-person starting next Friday, April 1st anytime between 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Borough Hall in the Lincoln Meeting Room (1st floor) 360 Elkwood Ave. in New Providence.
“Chat with the Mayor” is held the 1st Friday of every month and is an opportunity to chat with Mayor Al Morgan in an informal setting about any issues or concerns, learn more about our community, ask questions, share ideas, etc, all off the record, or, just come by to say hi.
As always, you can call Borough Hall at (908) 665-1400 at any time to make a private appointment to meet with Mayor Morgan or you can contact or message Mayor Al directly at anytime: https://www.mayoralmorgan.com/contact/
New Providence Comes Together for National Night Out 2015
NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – Residents, organizations, elected officials and emergency personnel came together on Tuesday night for New Providence’s second annual National Night Out in Centennial Park.
National Night Out highlights emergency services and their relationship with the community and enables the community to stand together and promote awareness, safety and neighborhood unity.
Borough Administrator Doug Marvin said, “National Night Out is a spectacular community event. We are able to showcase to the community all of the vital services available to them.”
Police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians had their equipment on display and interacted with the community. A bounce house, dunk tank and other activities were available for children to enjoy.
New Providence Mayor Al Morgan said, “Hats off to the PBA and all of the public safety people in town for making this a fantastic event. This is what New Providence is all about.” He added, “I had the best seat in the house in the dunk tank. It is the coolest place in town.”
Food and beverages from the Prestige Diner and Zita’s were provided by the New Providence Business and Professional Association and New Providence Lions Club. Entertainment was supplied by Al Elefante. Lantern Hill Residences, Affinity Credit Union, and the Municipal Alliance provided support for the event.
New Providence Installing New Sidewalks
By TAP INTO New Providence Staff
NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – The Borough Council recently awarded a contract to have missing links of sidewalks installed in New Providence. The new sidewalks will be installed along South Street, from the Murray Hill Inn to High Street, as well as from Candlewood Drive to the new Lantern Hill project, where sidewalks will be connected as part of their overall project. In addition, a new sidewalk was installed on Floral Avenue near the Spring-Floral Apartments.
Additional work is anticipated around town where cracked sidewalks will be replaced along with those that have been raised by root growth.
New Providence Celebrates Independence Day 2015
NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – Thousands of New Providence residents came out to enjoy Independence Day festivities and fireworks on Friday, July 3 in the Borough. Investors Bank donated $8,000 to this year’s festivities to enable Borough residents to once again enjoy a dazzling fireworks display.
Mayor Al Morgan said, “I would like to thank everyone who helped make the New Providence Independence Day Event this year such a great success! We had a tremendous turnout and it was truly heartwarming watching all the children and families gather in joyful celebration: kids creating chalk pictures up and down South Street, Club Souren rocking the crowds with music and games from the center of activities aboard our newly acquired army truck, and the excitement of meeting up with friends and family on a beautiful summer’s night. It was small town America at it’s finest!”
Morgan continued, “Thank you to Investors Bank for sponsoring the best fireworks show ever and for continuing to be an outstanding community partner. Special thanks to the New Providence Business and Professional Association for helping to put this whole event together for our community, to our DPW for all their good work setting up and taking down, to our communities for their help, patience, and understanding with the closing off of roads and parking situations, and to our Police, Fire, and EMS Departments for keeping everyone safe. God Bless New Providence, and God Bless the United States of America!”
Heather Hoffman, owner of Hair Salon Body & Soul Salon, Medispa & Wellness Center on South Street said, “We are a brand new business in town so this was our first time here and we all enjoyed it so much! What a really great turnout! Thanks for having it and we are really looking forward to being a part of the many more community events to come! We love New Providence!”
Editor’s Note: Have photos that you’d like to share celebrating at the Independence Day festivities in New Providence? Email them to mshapiro@tapinto.net to be included in this story.
New Shared Dispatch Center Holds Open House in New Providence
NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – An open house was held on Thursday for the opening of the shared emergency dispatch center in the New Providence Municipal Center on Elkwood Avenue.
The shared dispatch center will handle all 911 emergency dispatch services for police, fire and EMS in New Providence and Summit. In addition, on a fee basis the center will also process emergency calls for the Millburn Fire Department.
“Many people ask elected officials about shared services. This new shared dispatch center is a perfect example how three communities: New Providence, Summit, and Millburn, work together for the betterment of their respective communities by pooling resources, and sharing the benefits equally,” said New Providence Mayor Al Morgan. “New Providence is proud to house this state-of-the-art facility and is looking forward to working jointly with our partner communities.
“With the new technologies involved and vast resources implemented, all residents in these three communities can be assured that their emergency needs will be handled in an efficient, timely, and proper manner,” Morgan said. “I would like to commend the elected officials, public safety officials and administrative personnel for a job well done.”
Investors Bank Donates $8,000 to Fund New Providence Independence Day Celebration 2015
NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – Fireworks will once again be a feature of this year’s Independence Day Celebration in New Providence thanks to a donation of $8,000 by Investors Bank.
The Independence Day Celebration will occur on Friday, July 3 at 7 p.m. with fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Sante Fe Centers, Accent Printing Solutions, Martial Arts for Life and Elefante Music also will be contributing sponsors.
This is not the first time that Investors Bank has financially supported the event, which is a mainstay in the borough. While traditionally, fireworks on the Fourth of July had been funded by the borough through tax dollars, when the recession hit, many town governments, including New Providence, eliminated funding for the event rather than financially burden taxpayers. Since then, with the assistance of the borough, the New Providence Business & Professional Association (NPBPA) took over planning and organizing the event and Investors Bank came on board as the primary sponsor and funder for the past several years.
Independence Day Committee Chairperson and member of the NPBPA Ted Kapuscinski said, “We want to thank Investors Bank for their continued support. Without that support, the event could not take place. The New Providence Business & Professional Association is grateful as is all of the residents of New Providence.”
Club Souren, sponsored by Souren Communications, will be the DJ for the event. The New Providence DPW will be loaning a military truck for the event podium.
Free chalk, donated by Kapuscinski Luongo Architects and Martial Arts for Life, will be provided for children to create art along South Street. Additional programs will be announced, as well.
Daniel White, retail market manager for the New Providence branch of Investors Bank, said, “We are proud and happy to be able to support the New Providence fireworks in 2015. At Investors Bank, community service and giving back is a huge part of our culture. The commitment of Investors Bank to our community has never been stronger.”
Michelle Brugger, president of the NPBPA and owner of Martial Arts for Life in New Providence, said, “The New Providence business community does so much for New Providence but it takes community-minded businesses like Investors Bank to help us make the borough’s events such a huge success.”
We thank all of the sponsors for this great event.