Runnells Gets 'Powered Up'

Solar panels have been installed at the Berkeley Heights medical facility.

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Bill to Protect Firefighters From Solar Panel Dangers Advances

Assemblyman Robert Schroeder sponsors bill requiring emblem on buildings where solar panels are attached to the roof to protect firefighters from electrocution.

With an increasing number of buildings investing in alternative energy, emergency responders are often unable to immediately identify structures that have installed solar panels on their roofs — putting them at risk of electrocution in the event of a fire.  In an effort to protect firefighters against the danger of electrocution posed by solar panels, Assemblyman Robert Schroeder (R-Woodcliff Lake), a volunteer firefighter in the Township of Washington since 1980 who has twice served as fire chief, has sponsored a bill that would require buildings to clearly label with an exterior emblem whether they have solar panels. The bipartisan bill was approved by the Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee, on which Schroeder …

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Elefante Music to Offer Free Classes, Performances for Community

Elefante Music and School for the Performing Arts will hold a Customer Appreciation Day this Saturday, offering free classes, prizes and performances to local community members.

The Elefante Music and School for the Performing Arts is kicking of its first customer appreciation since 1997 this Saturday, offering performances, free classes and raffles to the community in celebration of the installation of a 120-panel solar array. The school, which is family-owned and established in 1996, will offer free classes and performances from 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at its location at 1790 Springfield Ave. "We had a lot of fun at the last one we did," said Joe Elefante. "We decided to do it again to celebrate our customers and to get the word out about the solar panels." The day will start off at 9:15 a.m. with "Broadway Baby," a class designed for children aged three to five to learn basic techniques of dancing, acting and …

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