News

VIEWING THE ECLIPSE: On Monday, April 8, residents of Livingston gathered at the Oval, in driveways, and even in the parking lot at ShopRite to view the much anticipated eclipse. Above, at Newark Academy, seniors Olivia Croshaw, Katherine Guo, Julia Polen, and Ambika Sharma, watched the solar eclipse from the bleachers at Newark Academy’s football field, wearing glasses provided by the school. Below, even dogs need to be safe, as demonstrated by Clyde. Other pictures here show varying phases of the eclipse. 

WATER MAIN WORK ON MOUNTHAVEN DRIVE: On Tuesday, April 9, the Township was working on a water main on Mounthaven Drive, near the intersection at Spring Road. Residents were warned of possible traffic delays and potential interruptions to their water access. Shown here, the excavators dug up a portion of the sidewalk and yards adjacent to Mounthaven Drive in order to access the water main. With a ladder, workers were able to physically get into the ground in order to fix the broken water main.

New Jersey was the epicenter of a 4.8 magnitude earthquake that affected a large portion of the northeast on Friday, April 5.

The initial earthquake occurred at about 10:23 a.m. near Califon, New Jersey.

No injuries were reported in Livingston related to the quake and several subsequent aftershocks, one of which reached 4.0 on the Richter scale.

Livingston Public School officials noted that a thorough inspection was done of all district buildings and that there was no damage seen to any of them.

In all, about 42 million people experienced the earthquake last Friday; it reached as far south as Washington, D.C. and as far north as the New York-Canada border.

This past week, the Livingston Fire Department responded to a number of calls relating to fallen trees and power outages. They also assisted with a resident stuck in their home’s elevator and responded to a call about an odor. Additionally, LFD was called to the scene of a vehicle fire.

Vehicle Fire

On Tuesday morning, April 9, a vehicle fire occurred at the intersection of Walnut Street and Route 10. A contractor truck with an attached trailer caught on fire, seemingly due to a hydraulic oil leak.

When the LFD arrived, the vehicle’s engine and passenger compartments were engulfed in flames.

No injuries were reported. The fire was extinguished and the burned vehicle was removed by a towing company.

Power Outages and Downed Trees

On Wednesday, April 3, the fire department responded to a series of calls following a storm.

The Livingston Fire Department (LFD) responded to a number of calls this week, most of which were reports of suspicious odors and false alarms.

Odors

On Tuesday, March 26, LFD received a call reporting a strange odor on the second floor hallway of 159 Sycamore Avenue. The area was checked with a meter and nothing was found. PSE&G was notified and responded. They were unable to determine the source of the odor. The homeowners were notified.

Another strange odor was reported on Thursday, March 2 8. The residents at 10 Winans Roadreported a burning odor coming from their home. The department used a meter, but nothing was found. The odor was eventually traced to a burned pot handle.

Also on March 28, a burning odor was reported in the first floor hallway at 315 East Northfield Road. The smell was a result of burned food.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms

In the past week, Livingston Police officers respondedto areportedhome burglary, recovered a stolen U-Haul trailer, and arrested a woman who was driving a vehicle with stolen license plates.

Burglary to Residence

At 7:51 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27, Livingston officers responded to an Aspen Drive residence on a report of a burglary alarm.

Officers arrived and saw that forced entry was made into the home through a rear door. A further investigation revealed that the suspect’s main focus was the master bedroom and the homeowners were not home at the time of the burglary.

The Livingston Detective Bureau is investigating the matter.

Possession of Stolen Property At 4:07 p.m. on Friday, March 29, two Livingston Detectives observed an enclosed U-Haul trailer with an out of state license plate parked at the Livingston Mall.

The Livingston Board of Education and Township Council held a joint “Five on Five” meeting on Wednesday, March 27, at Mt. Pleasant Middle School. Among the topics discussed were the safety of sidewalks and crosswalks near Harrison School, use of the building on Monmouth Court, population models, and more.

Parking, Sidewalks, and Crosswalks

One of the meeting’s main points of discussion involved the safety surrounding Harrison School during drop-off and dismissal.

Beginning this past September, Harrison School implemented a new pick-up policy. Instead of students waiting in the parking lot for their rides to pick them up, parents now must meet their child at the door. This is how Livingston’s other elementary schools have operated, but the narrow roads and limited parking surrounding Harrison has raised concerns.

Livingston Public Schools superintendent Matthew Block has announced he will be retiring from public education inNew Jersey after 25 years. He will start a new position as the superintendent of schools in Ardsley,NewYorkonorabout July 1.

Block joined Livingston Public Schools in July 2019. During his time as superintendent, he implemented a number of important initiatives, including a five-year strategic plan and a long-range facilities plan.

“Under Dr. Block’s leadership, the tools and resources to help prepare high school students to navigate the increasingly competitive college application process were strengthened,” the district said in a statement. “The district also increased the focus on intervention services and mental health resources to promote a supportive and nurturing learning environment for all students. Additionally, actionable steps were taken to enhance a culture of equity and inclusivity across the district.”

Paulette Dorflaufer, Livingston’s stylish, congenial and attentive crossing guard, is called “Miss Paulette” in Burnet Hill School, where she shows her devotion to children in her role as a three-hour-a-day aide in the classroom, lunchroom, and playground.

A few weeks ago, fourth grade teacher Julie Sonshine invited Dorflaufer to share with her class her story about surviving the Holocaust. At the time, students were reading nonfiction books about this dark period in history, and had questions about Anne Frank, Nazi Germany, and World War II. Dorflaufer, always willing to speak about her experiences and about the Holocaust, read excerpts from her book, told stories, and answered the children’s questions about her journey – from her rescue and life in a French orphanage as a Jewish child to her subsequent adoption and immigration to the U.S. aboard the Queen Elizabeth I in 1948. They asked if she remembered her parents and what schools she attended.

Fifteen-year-old Livingston resident Michael Shayevich received the General Billy Mitchell Award from the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) on January 30, during a ceremony held at the American Red Cross Northern New Jersey Headquarters in Fairfield.

Presented by Lt. Colonel Carol Mc-Cloud, the MitchellAward recognizes Shayevich’s sustained excellence in all four areas of cadet life: leadership, aerospace, fitness, and character. Only about 15 percent of CAP cadets earn this award. Civil Air Patrol has approximately 25,000 young adults ages 12 to 18 in its cadet program.

As a recipient of the Mitchell Award, Shayevich is elevated to the rank of cadet officer and promoted to the grade of Cadet Second Lieutenant. As an officer, he takes on more responsibility for leading junior-ranking cadets while continuing to develop himself as a “dynamic American and aerospace leader.”