News

More than 60 people, including about two dozen sixth graders, attended the Board of Education’s workshop and voting meeting on Monday, November 13. Some were there to speak about the district’s proposed random drug testing program, which was on the agenda. Others came to protest the alleged bullying of a Livingston student who attends Mt. Pleasant Middle School. Several speakers connected the two incidents with comments about civility; applause followed every comment.

Random Drug Testing

The district is finalizing the panel for its next community meeting about random drug testing, to be held on Wednesday, December 6, the superintendent, Christina Steffner, reported.

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RECYCLING DAY VOLUNTEERS HONORED: At its meeting on Monday, November 6, the Township Council honored the township’s Recycling Day volunteers, specifically members of the Livingston High School National Honor Society who participated. Serena Zhao and Sydney Thai were recognized for their “outstanding efforts” in helping with the event.

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The Livingston Historical Society will open the historic Ely Cemetery, located on Hillside Avenue, for public tours on Veterans’ Day, Saturday, November 11 from 2 to 4 p.m.

The cemetery was established by Captain William Ely, a veteran of the French and Indian War, on a rood (quarter acre) of his land in 1777 when his daughter, Elizabeth Ely Jones, her second husband, Frederick Jones, and their infant son, Benonni, all died within two weeks of each other. The plot was enlarged to its present size in 1864 by Ambrose Ely. The stone wall that surrounds the cemetery is made of rocks quarried from Riker Hill, which was part of the Ely Family’s property.

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SUMMONSES WERE ISSUED in a two-car accident on Friday, November 3, at about 1:10 p.m. at the intersection of South Mitchell and West Mt. Pleasant Avenues. According to the police report, Jonathan E. Kirsch of West Orange, driving a Nissan Altima, had been traveling eastbound on West Mt. Pleasant Avenue and attempted to turn left onto North Mitchell Avenue when his car collided with a Honda Civic driven by Kashi Dahal of East Hanover, who was traveling westbound on West Mt. Pleasant Avenue in the right lane.

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The Township Council covered a variety of different topics during its conference meeting on Monday, November 6.

TNR/Animal Shelter

Livingston police chief Craig Handschuch and Lieutenant John Drumm attended the meeting to provide the Council with an update on both the township’s TNR (trap-neuter-release) program for feral cats, and the animal shelter.

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In Tuesday’s election, Livingston voters re-elected incumbent Charles “Buddy” August to the Board of Education and supported Livingston resident Patricia Sebold for Essex County freeholder-at-large. Local voters also mirrored voters statewide in supporting Democrat Phil Murphy, who was elected governor of New Jersey.

August received 2,923 ballots, or 63.95% of the vote, against challenger James Calderón, who received 1,626 votes, or 35.57% of the total. There were 22 write-in votes recorded as well.

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By Jeff Friedman
Editor’s Note: Livingston Philanthropies, a charitable organization that conducts a year ’round toiletries drive and a seasonal coat drive for the homeless, last week received a huge donation of menswear from a local dry cleaners. Here, Philanthropies founder and director, Jeff Friedman, recounts the story in his own words.
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The owner of Milano French Dry Cleaners in Livingston, and friend of Tribune advertising representative Nancy Perlmutter, had some 600 men’s dress shirts and assorted men’s clothing that needed to go – by the end of the next day. “A cleaner in town in going out of business. Tomorrow will be their last day open,” Nancy urgently advised me. “There are many things that have not been claimed, so they’d like to give it away to you.”

Livingston Philanthropies, now in its seventh season, is requesting warm coats and winter accessories for its annual coat drive. A huge need also exists for diapers in sizes 4, 5, and 6, feminine hygiene pads, travel-size toiletries, and new cosmetics. “With evening temperatures dropping into the 40s, I’m reminding folks that coat weather is here right now,” notes Philanthropies founder and director Jeff “The Coat Guy” Friedman. “We are asking for generous donations of men’s dress attire, too.”
This past week, Friedman delivered 50 suits and sport coats, along with dress shirts and neckties, to Integrity House, Newark’s noted addiction treatment facility. The dress attire will be used by residents for job interviews.

LHS SINGERS LEARN BARBERSHOP: Four members of the Hickory Tree Chorus, a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, met with four members of the Livingston High School Notation Singers to teach them acappella barbershop style music. Shown are LHS seniors Emily Weis, Rhianna Bhatia, Andie Weiser-Schlesinger, and Samantha Kahn with four members of the Hickory Tree Chorus.

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