latest news from Livingston

The Livingston High School varsity ice hockey team defeated West Morris Central, 4-0, at the Codey Arena on Monday evening, January 14. Shown above, Lancer center and captain Max Solomon, #16, prepares to beat the Wolfpack goalie. Below, Lancer winger Austin Vecchio, #8, sets to snap a shot on goal against the West Morris Central defense.

Don Schwartz Photos

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The American flag in Memorial Park was lowered to half-staff in memory of Robert Leopold, a former mayor and Township Council member during the 1980s, and a decades-long member of the Planning and Zoning Boards. Mr. Leopold died Saturday, January 12, at the age of 93. The family has suggested memorial donations to Doctors Without Borders, Planned Parenthood or the Southern Poverty Law Center.

NKP Photo

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Charlie Schilling, former long-time Livingston Fire Chief and founding member of the Livingston First Aid Squad, announced his formal retirement from township employment. Chief Schilling has been working part time as Livingston’s fire sub-code official, evaluating plans for new construction in regard to fire safety.

Chief Schilling tendered his resignation this past week to his supervisor, township construction official Martin Chiarolanzo. He will retire effective January 31, just two months shy of his 98th birthday.

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At a special meeting on Tuesday evening, January 15, the Livingston Planning Board approved an application by Cryoport Systems, Inc. for the installation of a liquid nitrogen storage tank outside its building at 11 Industrial Parkway.

Tribute to Bob Leopold

Prior to the start of the meeting, Board chairman Peter Klein paid tribute to former long-time Planning Board member and chairman Bob Leopold, who died Saturday, January 12. Klein noted that, after he had replaced Leopold as chairman of the Board, “Bob took the seat to my immediate left so I could benefit from his knowledge and experience, and that seat shall remain empty tonight in his memory.”

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The Livingston wrestling team had an exciting week, defeating rivals Irvington and Caldwell before dropping a non-conference match at Kearny.

Defeat Irvington

The trip to Irvington High School onWednesday night, January 9, ended with a 40-24 Lancer victory. Livingston jumped out to a 12-0 lead after Drew DiGangi and Michael Petrillo scored back to back pins at 120 and 126 pounds, respectively. The Blue Knights bounced back with four straight wins at 132, 138, 145 and 152 pounds before 160 pound freshman Max Lee got the boys in green back on track. He used an arm on the back to turn his opponent and pin him in the first period.

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At the end of the first regular meeting of the Livingston Township Council in 2019, mayor Al Anthony announced the threecandidates chosen by the Livingston Democratic Committee to replace Michael Silverman, who resigned from his position on the Council at the start of the new year.The three nominees are Michael Vieira, Laurie Kahn, and Scott Goldman. Kahn and Goldman were both in the audience at Monday’s meeting when the announcement was made.

The Township Council must now select one of those three candidates before the end of the month, otherwise the decision will fall to the county. The Council may conduct interviews with the three candidates and deliberate before they make their selection. Anthony said the Council hopes to have a decision by the January 28 regular meeting.

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Former Livingston resident Dorothy May Young Laughlan died January 4 in Victoria, British Columbia. She was 81 years old.

Predeceased by her husband of 48 years, Edward Laughlan, she was the mother of Jennifer (John Quish) of Toronto, Ontario; Kevin (Sandra) of Leesburg, Florida; Owen (Shannon) of Arnprior, Ontario; and Sheila (Steve Ramsey) of Victoria; the sister of Kathleen Murphy (late Robert) of Vernon Hills, Illinois; Patricia Ambio (Raymond) of Roseland; and Theresa Foley (late Robert) of Lake Hopatcong. She is also survived by three grandchildren.

Mrs. Laughlan was born at home in Union and grew up in Livingston. In June 1964, she married and lived for several years in Oxford. In 1969, she moved with her family to Lakefield, Ontario, where they lived for 23 years. She and her husband moved to Victoria after retiring in the early 1990s.

Livingston’s veterans organizations will honor two Livingston residents, Don Schwartz and Nick Santinelli, with the Chapel of the Four Chaplains Legion of Honor Award.

First Baby Contest Winner:

Matthew James Semplenski, born January 3, is Livingston’s First Baby of 2019 and the winner of the Tribune’s annual First Baby Contest. The baby was born at Saint Barnabas Medical Center to Frank and Marissa Semplenski of 174 East Cedar Street. He weighed seven pounds, 13 ounces at birth, and was 20¾ inches long. He joins two sisters, Emma, 7½, and Mia, 21 months. David and Donna Semplenski are the baby’s paternal grandparents, and the maternal grandparents are Marian Perna and Anthony and Donna Aulisi.

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Pam Chirls and Ronnie Konner were sworn in at the Board of Education’s re-organization meeting on Monday, January 7 in front of a packed audience.

However, the conflict surrounding the contested campaign and election has not ended.

Buddy August, who had served as vice president the previous year, was unanimously elected Board president. “I do very quick meetings,” August said to good-natured chuckles from the audience.

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