community news from Livingston

As the season headed into the championship phase, the Livingston High School girls’ track and field team, said coach Dave Czeizinger, “kept their foot on the gas.”

As a result, the Lady Lancers finished the season undefeated in Super Essex Conference (SEC) dual meet competition.

“And in a strange ending to the conference campaign, another twist of fate had them share the conference crown after a 136-136 tie in the championship meet with Bloomfield,” he said.

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Martha A. King, 84, of Livingston, died at home on Tuesday, May 25, under the care of hospice.

A Catholic funeral Mass was offered Tuesday, June 1, at Saint Philomena Church in Livingston. Interment followed at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover.

Born in Gary, Indiana, on June 20, 1936, Mrs. King lived in Livingston for 64 years. She was a lifelong active parishioner of Saint Philomena Parish in Livingston.

She is survived by her husband of 64 years, George, and her five children, Diane, George, James, Richard, and Patricia, and her sister, Mary.

Arrangements were by the Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home in Livingston.

LANCERS FALL TO SETON HALL: The Livingston High School varsity baseball team fell to Seton Hall Prep 8-3 in a Super Essex Conference match-up at home on the Oval on Wednesday, May 26. Shown at right, Lancer senior pitcher Robert Sayle sets to release a fastball against the Pirates. Above, Lancer senior shortstop Dave Cotugno strides into the ball against Seton Hall. Pirate catcher Dominick Carlucci and home plate umpire Rich Franco follow the ball. Don Schwartz Photos

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A TOASTER OVEN FIRE in the kitchen of 7 Elkin Drive created a major smoke condition inside the residence on Friday, May 28. Firefighters, responding to a report of a toaster oven fire, arrived to find flames coming from the rear of the appliance. According to fire officials, the homeowner had attempted unsuccessfully to extinguish the flames. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire without incident, and vented the house. No injuries were reported. Rob Munson Photo

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Through the end of this week, on June 6, the Livingston Police Department is conducting a seat belt enforcement and education initiative, as part of the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign to crack down on unbuckled motorists and passengers.

These check points can easily be spotted throughout town – and that’s the point. This high visibility, high saturation patrol is designed not simply to hand out tickets, but rather to reiterate the lifesaving value of wearing a seat belt. It is something that is so simple, yet so many people still choose not to buckle up despite it being the easiest way to protect oneself on the road. More than 15,000 lives are saved nationally each year due to seat belt use, according to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety.

Last month, a few members of the Tribune staff joined Richard Cornell, chairman of Livingston’s Trails and Greenways committee, on a two-hour canoe ride up and down the township’s section of the Passaic River. It was a warm, sunshiney morning and the leisurely paddle offered a unique snapshot of town.

We started our journey behind the Brandon Tevlin Fields off Okner Parkway (also known as the Okner Fields Recreation Area), made our way a few miles up the river to the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland, and paddled our way back. Along the way, we passed under bridges, by homes, and alongside an electrical plant and a shooting range. We saw plenty of wildlife, including herons, turtles, foxes, and stacks of freshwater mussels that had been feasted on by birds. A lack of rain recently left the river lower than normal, making paddling challenging but manageable in a few locations.

Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI), the Livingston-based charity founded by resident Jeff Friedman, has issued a request for overstocked and unused bulk items.
“Some Livingston residents and businesses may have cases of overstocked, discontinued or unused items,” noted Friedman. “It really doesn’t matter which items folks may have. The homeless and hopelessly poor families need everything imaginable.”
Those with such items to donate may contact Friedman by email at njhomeless@aol.com or call his office directly at 973-533-9336. Contributions are tax-deductible.
LPI is also accepting monetary donations to enable its volunteers to do “ ‘personal shopping for the homeless’ during these unusually difficult times,” Friedman added. Donations may be made by check, mailed to P.O. Box 247, Livingston, NJ 07039, or online at paypal.me/lpinj.

Frederick Leonard Koehler of Livingston died on May 17, at the age of 90.

Mr. Koehler was born in Irvington and was a graduate of Seton Hall Prep and St. Peter’s College. He was a senior vice president at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey until his retirement in 1992.

Surviving are his wife, Mimi; his children, Fred (Tracy), Jim (Anne), and Tom; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held at St. Philomena Church on Wednesday, May 26.

The Livingston High School boys’ track and field team began its week with a Senior Night celebration win against Nutley High School Monday, May 17, to preserve its undefeated record. On Friday, May 21, the team traveled to School Stadium to compete in the Super Essex Conference Championship, where the Lancers ran, jumped, and threw their way to the Liberty Championship title.

Defeat Nutley

Senior co-captain Jacob Kogut led a trio of Lancers across the line to sweep the 100 meter dash with a time of 11.5 against Nutley. Senior co-captain Siraj Akmal was second (11.9), and Ethan Hirsch (12.3). Kogut also placed first in the 200 meter dash with a personal best time of 22.9. LHS again swept the event, with Luke Petryna finishing second (23.6), and Ethan Wang third (24.4). Colin Miller won the 400 meter dash at 56.3, and Ming Ma placed third at 57.7.

HONORING THEIR SACRIFICE: The monuments at War Memorial Park at the Livingston Oval list the names of Livingston residents who died in defense of their country. The monuments include 25 from World War II, two from the Korean War, and two from the Vietnam War. “The veterans of the Livingston Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, and Jewish War Veterans greatly appreciate the Livingston Department of Public Works for installing lighting at War Memorial Park,” noted Brian Boyle, a member of both the VFW and American Legion, who took this nighttime photo. “The monuments honor those who were from Livingston who made the supreme sacrifice by giving up their lives so we could live in freedom.”

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