House Decorating Contest, Read to a Dog, Land Use Meeting Cancelled

Here's what you need to know for the week ahead.

• If your 9 to 5 make it tough to get court matters done, Hopatcong Borough and Sparta Township have you in mind for their periodic and respective Municipal Night Courts. The offering is available Monday starting at 6 p.m. at Borough Hall, 111 River Styx Road in Hopatcong and at Town Hall at 65 Main St. in Sparta.
• The Sparta Township Board of Education meets Monday night from 7:30-11 p.m. The agenda includes congratulations for the Sparta High School football team for winning the 2013 NJSIAA Setion 1, Group 3 state title, a presentation of students' holiday season community service projects and a presentation of district audit figures. The meeting will be held in the auditorium of Mohawk Avenue School, 18 Mohawk Ave.
• Children ages five through 10 are invited to practice their reading skills by reading aloud to a certified therapy dog at the Louise Childs Branch of the Sussex County Public Library this Tuesday. Each child gets a full 10 minutes of one-on-one reading time with dogs, who don't criticize or interrupt, allowing the kids to gain self-esteem, confidence, public speaking skills and a love of reading. Each child signs up for a specific Read to a Dog time slot:  4 p.m., 4:15 p.m., 4:30 p.m. or 4:45 p.m. Register by calling 973 770-1000.  Please arrive on time with a couple of books or early enough to pick out some library books.
• Tuesday is D-Day for participants in Hopatcong Recreation's Annual Holiday House Decorating Contest. Judging will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Pavinci's Italian Grill, 453 River Styx Road. The restaurant features sounds of the season starting at 7 p.m., when the quarter-century-old 20-piece Silver Starlite puts a jazz-swing spin on holiday favorites. For more info, call Pavinci's at 973-770-4300.
• The Hopatcong Land Use Board meeting previously scheduled for Tuesday has been cancelled according to the municipal website. 
• The Hopatcong Borough Council meets along with Mayor Sylvia Petillo Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Borough Hall, 111 River Styx Road. At the same time, the borough's Recreation Commission will meet in the hall's small room. No agendas had been released by press time.
  
• The Sparta Township Planning Board meets for its regular session Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Municipal Court Room at 65 Main St. Included on the agenda is the body's consideration of a project for Lake Mohawk Country Club.
• The Hopatcong Community Emergency Response Team does important, lifesaving work. This group is made up of area residents who volunteer to train and serve as emergency responders. And CERT Team members gather periodically, such as Thursday, when the group meets at 7 p.m. at the Hopatcong Senior Center, upper level, 32 Lakeside Blvd. 
• The first official day of winter comes Saturday. The Hopatcong Recycle Center will be open to greet the new season and your recyclables Saturday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.