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New Jersey Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco sits down with Beyond The Green for a wide-ranging, 75-minute conversation about the issues hitting every New Jersey household. As the leader of the Senate Republican caucus and the senator for Morris County’s 25th District, Senator Bucco brings both a statewide view and a local one.

In this episode:
🏠 Property taxes and the cost of living in New Jersey
⚡ Rising energy bills and why the Board of Public Utilities has no ratepayer member
🚆 NJ Transit: reliability, delays and fare hikes
🏘️ Affordable housing mandates and redevelopment pressure in our towns
💰 The state budget and his tax relief bills
🤝 Working across the aisle in Trenton
👨‍👦 Carrying on his father’s legacy in the same Senate seat
…plus a few questions you won’t see coming.

Whether you live in Morris County or anywhere else in the Garden State, this conversation affects you.

If you are interested in telling your Morris County story,  contact us at [email protected]

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Morris Plains turns 100 this year, and on Tuesday, November 3rd, voters will help decide who leads the borough into its second century. 

Beyond The Green sits down with Sheryl McNichol, a Republican candidate for Borough Council, to talk about her background, her experience inside borough government, and the issues facing Morris Plains.

Sheryl grew up on Lake Road in Morristown and has lived in Morris Plains for 27 years, raising her family here. She has worked at Borough School for 11 years, where she was named Support Staff of the Year, and served as president of the school’s HSA. She has also served the borough as Tax Collector and Deputy Court Administrator.

In the conversation, Sheryl explains why she decided to run and what it means to be a write-in candidate. She also shares what residents may not know about how borough government works. From there, she weighs in on taxes and the police station, development and affordable housing, and traffic on Route 202. She also discusses the stalled McDonald’s project and her vision for Morris Plains’ next 100 years.

Disclosure: Sheryl and Peter were classmates at Morristown High School, Class of 1990. They hadn’t spoken in more than thirty years until reconnecting at Morris Plains’ 9/11 remembrance this September.

If you are interested in telling your Morris County story,  contact us at [email protected]

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 Morris Plains Decides 2026: A Conversation with Mayor Jason Karr

With Election Day on Tuesday, November 3, Beyond The Green sits down with Morris Plains Mayor Jason Karr as he seeks re-election. Karr has served the borough since joining the Borough Council in 2007 and has been mayor since 2019. This year he’s running as an independent against Councilwoman Nancy Verga.

In this conversation, Mayor Karr talks about:

-Why he chose to run as an independent this year
-Morris Plains’ centennial and what 100 years of history means for the town’s future
-The proposed McDonald’s on Speedwell Avenue, the planning board approval, and the residents’ legal challenge now on appeal
-Accusations of Pay To Play
-Growth, housing, and traffic
-Property taxes and the future of borough facilities

Beyond The Green does not endorse candidates. Our goal is to give Morris County residents a clear, direct look at the people and issues shaping their communities, so they can make informed decisions. We neither vote in or live in the community.

If you are interested in telling your Morris County story,  contact us at [email protected]

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Part 2 of 2 -

Morris Township’s Republican candidates for Township Committee are back on Beyond The Green for a second conversation ahead of Election Day, Tuesday, November 3.

George Talarico and Joscelin Grizzetti are running for the full three-year term, and John Biehl is running for the unexpired term. In this follow-up, we dig deeper into what came up at the debate, and what didn’t. We also look back at what they’ve learned over the last seven weeks on the campaign trail, what they’re hearing from residents, and what they’d bring to the committee.

Beyond The Green is a local show about the people, history and community of Morristown and Morris County, NJ. Our goal is to give residents a direct look at the candidates and issues on their ballot. 

Beyond The Green does not endorse candidates nor does anyone in this production have a vote in this election.

Recorded at Saint Elizabeth University.

Subscribe for more conversations from around Morris County.

If you are interested in telling your Morris County story,  contact us at [email protected]

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 Part 1 of 2 - 

Morris Township’s Republican candidates for Township Committee are back on Beyond The Green for a second conversation ahead of Election Day, Tuesday, November 3.

George Talarico and Joscelin Grizzetti are running for the full three-year term, and John Biehl is running for the unexpired term. In this follow-up, we dig deeper into what came up at the debate, and what didn’t. We also look back at what they’ve learned over the last seven weeks on the campaign trail, what they’re hearing from residents, and what they’d bring to the committee.

Beyond The Green is a local show about the people, history and community of Morristown and Morris County, NJ. Our goal is to give residents a direct look at the candidates and issues on their ballot. 

Beyond The Green does not endorse candidates nor does anyone in this production have a vote in this election.

Recorded at Saint Elizabeth University.

Subscribe for more conversations from around Morris County.

If you are interested in telling your Morris County story,  contact us at [email protected]

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 As Morris Township voters head to the polls this November, Beyond The Green sits down with three candidates shaping the race: George Talarico, Joscelin Grizzetti, and John Biehl. Talarico and Grizzetti are vying for the full three-year term on the Township Committee, while Biehl is running to fill the unexpired term. In this conversation, the candidates share their vision for the township, where they stand on the issues facing our community, and why they believe they're the right choice to represent Morris Township residents. Whether you're a longtime voter or just getting familiar with local races, this episode is your chance to hear directly from the people asking for your vote.

Meet the Team
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George Talarico

Experience you can trust. Judgment that puts Morris Township first.

George Talarico has proudly called Morris Township home for more than 25 years. He and his wife, Claire, have raised their daughter, Noelle, here, and like so many families, they chose this town because of its strong sense of community.

George was raised in a hardworking New Jersey family where education, discipline, and service were part of everyday life. He built a career that reflects those values. He started as a civil engineer managing road, bridge hi-rise, hospital and other projects and later became a litigation partner at national law firms. Today, he serves as a chief compliance and chief risk officer in the financial services industry, where careful judgment and accountability matter every day.

But what matters most to George has always been closer to home. He has spent years coaching youth soccer, serving his parish, and contributing to local institutions. He’s also been involved in local government and public service, always with a focus on giving back to the community that has given so much to his family.

George believes leadership starts with listening, and that good decisions come from experience, transparency, and a genuine respect for the people you serve.
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John Biehl
Real-world experience. Practical leadership.

John Biehl brings more than 40 years of hands-on experience in construction and small business leadership, the kind of experience where you’re responsible for getting things done, on time and on budget.

A Morris Township resident, John has spent his career managing complex projects across commercial, education, hospitality, and residential sectors. For over 20 years, he has been a managing partner of small businesses, leading teams, solving problems, and delivering results in real-world conditions.

That experience shapes how he looks at local government: keep it practical, keep it accountable, and keep it focused on residents.
John has also been deeply involved in the community, serving as Morris Township Republican Chairman and as President of the Morristown/Morris Township Republican Club.

He believes residents deserve leadership that is straightforward, responsive, and focused on getting the basics right.
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Joscelin Grizzetti
A strong voice for families. A commitment to community.

Joscelin Grizzetti brings a grounded, community-first perspective to this campaign.

As a Morris Township resident, she understands what everyday life here looks like and how local decisions affect families, neighborhoods, and the character of the town. She’s focused on making sure residents feel heard, respected, and included in the decisions that shape their community.

Joscelin believes that local government works best when it listens, really listens, and when it reflects the values of the people who live here.

She is committed to open communication, transparency, and preserving what makes Morris Township such a special place to call home. 

For Joscelin, this campaign is about making sure Morris Township remains a place where families can put down roots and thrive. 

If you are interested in telling your Morris County story,  contact us at [email protected]

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 What does it take to lead a school for over a decade? We sat down with Mark Manning, who's spent the last 13 years as principal of Morristown High School, to find out.

Manning didn't set out to become an educator. Raised in South Jersey, he headed to Boston for college and started out on a different career path — one that left him searching for something more fulfilling. It was a visit back to his old high school guidance counselor that changed everything, setting him on the path toward education, and years later, into the principal's office. In this conversation, he talks about that turning point, what's kept him committed to the job this long, and what he hopes to leave behind at Morristown.

It's a conversation about purpose, persistence, and what it really means to lead a school day in and day out.

🎓 Part of our ongoing series spotlighting the educators and leaders shaping our schools.

👍 Like, subscribe, and comment below — who should we feature next? 

If you are interested in telling your Morris County story,  contact us at [email protected]

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 Morris School District Superintendent Dr. Anne Mucci and Business Administrator Anthony LoFranco join Beyond The Green to break down the upcoming $158 million bond referendum — what it means for students, schools, and the residents of Morristown and Morris Township. 

We sit down for an in-depth conversation about what's driving the referendum, what the funds would be used for, and what taxpayers need to know before heading to the polls on September 15th. The Morris School District serves students from Morristown, Morris Township, and Morris Plains — but it's Morristown and Morris Township residents who will carry the tax burden if the referendum passes. Morris Plains families send their students to the district on a tuition basis, so the financial impact lands differently depending on where you live. 

Whether you're a parent, a homeowner, or simply someone invested in the future of this community, this is a conversation worth having. 

🗳️ VOTE DATE: September 15th
📍 Morris School District | Morristown & Morris Township 

If you are interested in telling your Morris County story,  contact us at [email protected]

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What did Americans actually eat during the Revolution — and how do we know? In this special live edition of Beyond The Green, recorded at the Parsippany Public Library, we sit down with Melanie Bump of the Morris County Park Commission to explore the fascinating world of early American cookbooks. 

Drawing from a remarkable rare book collection, Melanie takes us inside the kitchens of 18th and 19th century America — the recipes, the household wisdom, and the surprising stories these books reveal about the people who wrote and used them. From colonial cooking traditions to the first truly "American" cookbooks, this conversation serves up history you can almost taste. 

A huge thank you to Melanie Bump and the Morris County Park Commission for sharing this incredible collection, and to the Parsippany Library for hosting Beyond The Green's live audience recording. 

For more information on the Morris County Park Commission, go to www.morrisparks.net

🎙️ Beyond The Green is a podcast celebrating the history, people, and community of Morristown and Morris County, NJ. 

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If you are interested in telling your Morris County story,  contact us at [email protected]

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Step back in time with us at Historic Speedwell as Beyond The Green – Parks and Paths returns to the birthplace of the American telegraph.

In this episode, we sit down with Karl Wietzel, Sr. Historical Program Specialist for the Morris County Park Commission, to explore the groundbreaking partnership between Alfred Vail and Samuel Morse — and how their work at Speedwell changed communication forever.

From local history to global impact, this conversation highlights how Morristown played a pivotal role in connecting the world long before the internet.

If you’re passionate about American history, New Jersey heritage, innovation, or the stories behind America’s 250th, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Watch now and discover how a quiet corner of Morris County helped change the world.

Subscribe to Beyond The Green for more stories about the people, places, and pathways that shape our community.

For more information on all the parks under the Morris County Park Commission go to: www.morrisparks.net

If you are interested in telling your Morris County story,  contact us at [email protected]