News

A South Orange man is facing charges after he was found looking through ovce drawers at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (CBMC), a representative for the Livingston Police said.

On Friday February 9, Quenton Hunt of South Orange was arrested for theft, possession of stolen prop - erty, and criminal trespassing at CBMC.

Hunt was found looking through ovce drawers and was in possession of a wallet that did not belong to him, according to police.

VEHICLE DESTROYED IN BLAZE: At about 6:45 a.m. on Monday, February 12, officials responded to a car fire on Laurel Avenue near Route 280. The driver of the vehicle said that she observed smoke from under the hood and, upon further inspection noticed that there was a fire in the engine compartment. The Livingston Fire Department, along with the West Orange Fire Department, arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported, however, the car was completely incinerated. The cause of the fire was not determined as of press time.

Students at Harrison School were honored on Wednesday, February 7, for raising the most funds of the dozens of participating schools in Table to Table's 2023 "Bag a Lunch, Help a Bunch" initiative.

"The power harnessed by these Harrison elementary students to be true community heroes – reduc- ing food waste, while also feeding thousands of New Jersey neighbors facing food insecurity – is nothing short of incredible," said Heather Thompson, executive director of Table to Table. "With this impressive level of community leadership, the future is truly bright."

Harrison's efforts garnered sufficient funds to rescue and deliver enough food for 14,600 healthy meals for those in need throughout Northern New Jersey. That amount, along with funds raised by the other schools, was doubled by the Bernard and Geraldine Segal Foundation.

WINTER STORM HITS LIVINGSTON: A winter storm dumped over half a foot of snow on Livingston on Tuesday, February 13. Livingston Public Schools and township non-emergency offices were closed due to the hazardous weather conditions. For its first major winter storm of the year, Livingston amassed a total of seven inches of snow. All schools and town offices reopened Wednesday morning.

During the Monday, February 5, meeting of the Township Council, the members passed a resolution naming Ketan Bhuptani to the Council. His appointment made history, as he became the first Asian American and Indian American person to ever be named to Livingston’s Council.

Bhuptani’s name was submitted by the Livingston Democratic County Committee – along with Laurence Bergmann and James McIlvaine – to replace Rosy Bagolie, who left the Council after one year to join the state Assembly.

Deputy Mayor Ed Meinhardt nominated Bhuptani, with Mayor Al Anthony seconding the nomination. The resolution was unanimously passed by the four Council members, who all spoke fondly of Bhuptani prior to the vote.

“Ketan, tonight you will make history in Livingston by being the first Council member of Asian American descent,” Council member Michael Vieira said.

At its Tuesday, February 6, meeting, the Livingston Public Schools Board of Education previewed the school district’s upcoming budget and were presented an addendum on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) audit.

At the start of the meeting, the Board outlined its budget goals. These included undertaking a districtwide security audit and expanding access to high quality programs, services, and resources; the college application process was mentioned as a specific focus. The 2024-25 district budget will include necessary updates to technology and mandated curriculum changes.

Equity Audit

Shelley Zion professor of educational leadership, administration, and research at Rowan University, presented the Board with an addendum on the previously presented DEI audit.

Three long-serving Livingston Police Department officers – Captain John Drumm, Sergeant Michael Herbert, and Officer Ralph Kolbusz – all retired from the department last month.

“All three officers were vital contributors to the operations and success of the department,” Chief of Police Gary Marshuetz said. “I wish Captain Drumm, Sgt. Herbert, and Officer Kolbusz happy, healthy and rewarding retirements.”

Captain Drumm retired on January 31, after serving as a Livingston Police officer for more than 34 years. Drumm was captain of the Patrol Division where, among many of his duties, he supervised four patrol squads covering the township on a 24/7 schedule.

During the Monday, February 5, Township Council meeting, Captain John Drumm was honored by the Council. Drumm retired at the end of January after working more than 34 years with the Livingston Police Department. February 5, 2024, was named John Drumm Day in his honor.

Each member of the Council, township manager Barry Lewis, deputy township manager Russ Jones, and township attorney Jarrid Kantor all spoke fondly of Drumm, saying that he was a friend and that the Livingston community would miss him.

Leslie Kritzer, a 1995 graduate of Livingston High School, visited her alma mater on Monday, February 5, to talk with students involved in theater and chorus. An actress and singer, Kritzer is currently starring on Broadway in Spamalot as the Lady of the Lake. Many of the students in the audience had attended the show the previous week as a class trip.

Kritzer spent over two hours in the school auditorium, sharing memories and challenges from her time at LHS. She described the LHS stage and auditorium as “the home that was everything” to her during her school years.

She shared her perspective on her career and answered questions about roles, disappointments, being part of a cast, and working together as a team. She also offered insight on college selection, and auditioning. She encouraged the students to participate in every aspect of theater, and marveled at the expanded theater arts program at the high school.

The Livingston Democratic County Committee has submitted three names to fill the pending vacancy on the Township Council. Laurence Bergmann, James Mcllvaine, and Ketan Bhuptani have been nominated to fill Rosy Bagolie’s seat on the Council.

The Council now has 3 0 days from the time of the submission to select one of the nominees from the list, which is done by resolution during a public meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 5.

The person chosen, who will be sworn in immediately following passage of the resolution at the meeting, will then serve until the next certified general election. The 2024 general election will be held on Tuesday, November 5. That election will be to fill the seat for the remainder of Bagolie’s term, which runs through the end of 2026.