community news from Livingston

National Newspaper Week begins this Sunday and running through Saturday, October 9. The annual observance of the service that newspapers and their employees provide to their communities has been in existence since 1940; what is printed within the pages of newspapers has certainly changed since then, but the importance of the medium has not. And here at the West Essex Tribune we are proud to be one of the only remaining independent newspapers in the state, bringing our community the stories that matter to them.

Newspapers look a lot different than they did eight decades ago (and longer for us, as we have been around for 92 years and counting!), but we’re still here, and proud of it. For over nine decades, the Tribune has been tailored to our town, emphasizing the things that affect us most directly and keeping track of what is going on in the township so that our readers don’t have to.

There is a new way for students to earn a varsity letter at Livingston High School. Now starting its second year, the United Way Varsity Letter in Community Service Club recently awarded letters to 30 students who had completed at least 80 hours of community service during the first year.

The hours of service include assisting United Way “ALICE” (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed) families and at least one school activity. In all, those 30 students volunteered over 2,000 hours to improve the lives of children, the disabled, elderly, those suffering financially, and others.

We strongly support our student athletes, and eagerly cheer them on as they compete in their various sports, competitions, and events. Each one who earns a varsity letter for their chosen sport or team should be proud of the hard work they put in to achieve it.

During a week in which the vast majority of its calls were false alarms, the Livingston Fire Department investigated reports of smoke and gas odors; responded to two calls on oven fires at the same address; and answered a mutual aid request to help extricate a man crushed uunder porcelain slabs.

Extrication

On Monday, September 20, Livingston volunteer firefighters answered a mutual aid call from the Roseland Fire Department. Fire officials went to 140 Harrison Avenue, a building owned by the Kearny-based company Porcelain Source. There they assisted in the extrication of an employee who had been crushed under 6,000 pounds of porcelain slabs.

The accident took place at about 3 p.m., and although the victim was successfully removed, he did not survive. His name was not released.

According to reports, a medevac had been on standby, and arrived at the landing zone, but was then canceled before the transportation of the patient took place.

During the period prior to the November 2 election, the West Essex Tribune will make space available to each of the Board of Education candidates, at no cost, in order for them to present their views to the public. It is our hope that this will allow the voters to make a direct comparison which will assist them in making an informed voting decision. The Tribune will not, however, accept “Letters to the Editor” from the candidates during that portion of the campaign. Nor will the Tribune publish letters of endorsement or opposition for any candidate, though we may choose to publish, in the issues before the election in October, excerpts from letters of endorsement received during the campaign.

Three candidates – Jenissa Arnette, James Calderón, and Pamela Chirls – are running for two open seats on the Board.

LANCERS SHUT OUT MOUNTAINEERS: The Livingston High School girls’ varsity volleyball team defeated the West Orange Mountaineers, 2-0, at home in the LHS Fitness and Wellness Center on Tuesday, September 14. Shown here, Lancer sophomore Elexa Bragarnik, #4, soars to score on a serve against West Orange. Last week, the Tribune inadvertently omitted the girls’ volleyball teams from our annual Fall Sports Focus section. Those pages are included elsewhere in this issue, in a cut-out format so that they can be inserted into the Focus section if desired. Don Schwartz Photo

Walter Carl Goldt, Jr. died on Wednesday, August 25, at Morristown Medical Center. He was 89 years old.

Born in Orange, he lived in Livingston for 38 years before moving to Heath Village in Hackettstown three years ago.

Mr. Goldt was an executive with the Greater New York YMCA Management Resource Center in New York City.

He was predeceased by his wife, Norma Goldt, on June 1, and is survived by two daughters, Karen (Peter) Gennaro and Dorianne (Douglas) Jerman, and four grandchildren.

A memorial gathering will be held on Saturday, September 25 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Morgan Funeral Home, 31 Main Street, Netcong. Inurnment will be held privately at German Valley Cemetery in Long Valley.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mr. Goldt’s name to the American Heart Association (heart org).

Condolences may be sent to: NetcongFuneral.com.

In recent action, the Livingston High School varsity girls’ tennis team defeated West Orange and Columbia before losing to Millburn. The team has a 5-3 win-loss record.

Livingston 4, West Orange 1: The doubles teams of Rachel Friedman, Kavya Narayanan and Madelyn Ha, Allison Kwak won in straight sets.

At first singles, Rebecca Liu won the first set, but lost, 6-4, 0-6, 4-10, while Allison Miller won second singles, 6-1, 6-2. At third singles, Dana Bolanos won, 6-2, 5-7,10-2.

Livingston 5, Columbia 0: Liu and Miller won in straight sets, while Bolanos won third singles, 6-2, 2-6, 10-7. Zoe Gorsky and Zoe Weisman won first doubles 6-1, 6-1, and Allison Kwak and Isabel Lee won second doubles, 6-1, 6-1.

Ralph Oscar Hilmer, 91, a long-time resident of Livingston, passed away surrounded by his family, on September 8, 2021, in the same home in which he was raised.

He was born on April 25, 1930, in Newark to Oscar and Christine Hilmer, immigrants to this country who struggled and sacrificed through the Depression’s hardships to keep the American Dream within their only child’s reach. After moving to Livingston in 1939, Ralph attended Central School in Livingston, the Carteret School in West Orange, Rutgers College, and New York University Law School.