latest news from Livingston

Twenty-five years ago, Livingston stopped for a few hours to “Experience the Spirit” of the Summer Olympics, which were taking place that year in Atlanta, Georgia.

As part of the 15,000 mile Olympic Torch Relay, Livingston had been selected as a lunch stop for Tuesday, June 18, 1996. Attendance at the local celebration was reported to be about 10,000.

Livingston schools had half day sessions so the children of the community could participate in Olympicstyle games behind the high school, as well as view the torch.

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Daniel Nicholas Machalaba, 72, died on Monday, July 26.

Mr. Machalaba was born in Queens, New York. He grew up in Livingston, and attended New York University. He moved to Vermont in 1996.

He began his career as a reporter at the Paterson News, went on to Fairchild Publications’ Daily News Record in New York City, and wrote freelance stories for the New York Times. He joined The Wall Street Journal in 1976. For most of his career, he reported on surface transportation. He retired in 2009 and continued to write freelance articles.

Mr. Machalaba is survived by wife, Linda; his children, Paul and Catherine of Woodstock, Vermont; and his brother, Robert, of New Jersey.

A funeral mass was held on Saturday, July 31, at Our Lady of the Snows in Woodstock, Vermont.

Joseph Spallone, Jr., formerly of Livingston, died at home in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, July 17. He was born in Newark in 1959 to Gaetana Spallone of Nevada and the late Joseph Spallone, Sr.

Mr. Spallone served in the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division and was a former owner and operator of Sun Masters Tanning Salons.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date. Arrangements are by Gaffney Parsons Funeral Home in Bangor, Pennsylvania.

Elizabeth Ann (née Harrington) Gerber, 82, died on Friday, July 30.

Born and raised in Bloomfield, she lived in Livingston and Wall Township before moving to Brick in 2000.

Over the years, she sheltered 22 foster children, and had worked for the New Jersey Bell Telephone Company [now Verizon New Jersey], The Arbors of Spring Lake, and the Howell Township Public Schools cafeteria.

Mrs. Gerber was predeceased by her son, Kevin Gerber, and her sister, Maryellen Gramo. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Richard Gerber; her daughter, Kimberly Price of Howell; her sons, Martin Gerber of Brick and his fiancée, Debbi Fraser; and Matthew Gerber (Doreen) of Wall; ten grandchildren, a great-grandson; and 11 siblings, Catherine Leyden, Julia Schwab, John Harrington, Maureen Gramo, Margaret Spagnardi, Rosemary Brennan, Eileen DeVoe, Daniel Harrington, Michael Harrington, Bridget Kulesa, and Virginia Hutchison.

Venisa Camille (Henderson) Tyson, 58, of Livingston died on Wednesday, July 28 at the Center for Hope Hospice in Scotch Plains.

She was born in Hartford, Connecticut to James S. Henderson and the late Iris Wilson Henderson. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Rosemont College and resided in Orange before moving to Livingston five years ago.

Mrs. Tyson formerly owned and operated a McDonald’s restaurant in Paterson.

Camille was the mother of Candace Henderson-Brooks of Atlanta, Georgia, and Brett Lauren Tyson of East Orange; the daughter of James V. (Kelli) Henderson of Livingston; the sister of James V. Henderson of Nashville, Tennessee, Juanita Collum of Yazoo City, Mississippi, Alisa C. (Doug) Harrison of North Haledon, and Rita D. (Frank) Davis and Janice E. (Kirk) Fleming, both of Plainfield. She is also survived by four grandchildren.

Services and cremation are private.

Less than a week before the filing deadline, Livingston had no official candidates for the two Board of Education seats up for grabs this November. So, we were relieved to find out that not only will we have enough people to fill those available roles, but that we will have a contested election after all.

Incumbent Pamela Chirls, Jenissa Arnette, and James Calderón have all filed to run for a position on the Livingston Public Schools Board of Education. All three candidates have run before, with Chirls winning multiple past elections for the position.

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Last week, a chlorine pump broke at Northland Pool, forcing it to close. Township manager Barry Lewis noted that the malfunction underscores the need to make a long-term decision on the future of Livingston’s two pools: Northland, as well as Haines Memorial Pool. Both pools are in need of general repairs, but it does not make sense to make costly fixes before the Township Council decides if the town will move forward with both pools, or only one. And if they decide to keep just one, they will need to pick which of the two makes the cut.

It seems likely that the Council will indeed decide to downsize from two pools to one. Mayor Shawn Klein has suggested as much at meetings earlier this year.

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Lisa Cherokee Raine Booker, who runs the baby department at the “Clothing Boutique” at Willing Heart Community Care Center (WHCCC) in Newark, receives six cases of 32 ounce Emfamil baby formula from Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI). “Thank you, Livingston, for the generous donations that empower vital purchases for hopelessly poor families,” commented LPI founder and director Jeff Friedman. “The reality is that August continues to be ‘needing season.’” said LPI founder Jeff Friedman, exacerbated by the scheduled ending of the federal eviction moratorium this month. “With rent and back rent due, millions of households – including hundreds here in Essex County – could face eviction, just as a surge in COVID cases from the highly contagious Delta variant may be prompting renewed calls for people to stay home and keep their distance. But we in Livingston can help.

As of Wednesday morning, July 28, the Livingston Health Department has reported that a total of 2,192 Livingston residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since the first case was recorded in mid-March of 2020. 88 of those residents have died as a result of the virus. Compared to the same time last week, there are 21 new cases, with no additional deaths. In the past month, there have been 53 cases.

Township manager Barry Lewis said that, due to the rise in cases and spread of the delta variant, public areas in township buildings once again require mask wearing.

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Department of Public Works employees used a wood chipper to remove trees near the softball field on the Oval on Tuesday, July 27. MI Photo

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