Livingston community

The Livingston High School girls’ track and field team took one last trip to the Ocean Breeze indoor track facility in Staten Island to take part in the Garden State Invitational on Friday, February 18. More than 100 schools were represented in the meet, and Livingston brought eight girls to compete in a multitude of events, including the 55 meter dash, 55 meter high hurdles, the 200, 400, 800, and 1,600 meter races, the 4x200 relay, and the long jump.

Livingston’s day was highlighted by eight personal bests and one season’s best performances. “It was a great way to end the season for some athletes, and a tune-up for the Group IV State Championship for others,” noted coach Dave Czeizinger.

The first event on the inside of the oval was the 55 meter high hurdles. Captain Maggie Siao led the Lancers with a time of 9.69 for 19th place. Joining her were Darcy Bialick (10.58) and Arthi Mampilly (11.12, an indoor personal best time).

Albert P. Branchi (Al) of Livingston passed away on February 21.

He was born in New York, New York, on September 18, 1941, and married to Carol Ann (Bevilacqua) for 55 years.

Al and Carol have one son, Christian, married to Angela; and two grandchildren, Nicholas and Samantha.

Al is a graduate of Manhattan College and New York University School of Engineering. In his professional career in the oil and gas industry with ABB Lummus and Foster Wheeler, he had the opportunity to travel to many foreign countries. Prior to retirement, he also worked at Northfield Construction.

Al was an active member of various organizations, including Chaine Des Rotisseurs, Alpha Phi Delta Fraternity, and the St. Philomena’s Men’s Ministry; he was also Past President of Livingston UNICO. He loved life to the fullest, including driving his Porsche Boxster.

NEW LIGHT POLE: Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G) replaced a light pole on South Living ston Avenue in front of the Tribune’s office on Wednesday morning, February 23. The former pole had apparently been struck by a vehicle and had been nearly severed at the base. CKS Photo

Livingston High School will present its spring musical, Fiddler on the Roof, on Thursday, March 17, at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 18, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, March 19, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets will go on sale next week at www.lhstheater.com/spring-musical.html.

Fiddler is set in the early 20th century in the Russian village of Anatevka, the story centers on Tevye, a poor milkman, and his five daughters. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to protect his daughters and instill them with traditional values in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia.

Jonah Ruderman will play the lead role of Tevye, and Leah Waessa will play his wife, Golde. Their daughters will be played by Brooke Lelia, as Tzeitel; Jayden Declet, as Hodel; Sylvie Friedman, as Chava; Lila Maru, as Shprintze; and Gabi Elchoness, as Bielke.

In last week’s edition of the Tribune, we ran a story about Rabbi Simeon Cohen of Temple Beth Shalom consulting with the cast and crew of Livingston High School’s spring musical, Fiddler on the Roof. He advised the students about costuming, rituals, and history of the time and location, to make the production as period-appropriate as possible. As part of the collaboration, some students will perform selections of the show at Temple Beth Shalom prior to the March 17 opening night.

Starting this month, all uniformed Livingston Police officers will be equipped with body-worn cameras, following the passage of New Jersey laws requiring their use. The Watch Guard Motorola V300 body cameras will now be worn during the duration of each officer’s shift. These devices will record every interaction that officers will have with the public, who stands to benefit from their implementation.

Should something occur that would need to be reviewed, there will now be a video recording of the interaction. These recordings should also be available to members of the public by filing an Open Public Records Act request.

Meredith D. Morgenthau, 78, passed away on February 16, 2022 in Livingston, NJ where she had lived for over 50 years. She was the wife of Ward F. Morgenthau. They shared 55 years of marriage together.

Born in the Bronx, New York, she was the daughter of Jerome and Lillian Firestone. After growing up in Mount Vernon, New York, she attended Hunter College, where she received a teaching degree, at one time teaching French to a young Denzel Washington.

She was a member of Temple B’nai Abraham in Livingston.

Meri enjoyed hosting family and friends for gourmet meals and was an exceptionally kind and welcoming person to everyone she met. She will be remembered for her love of family, including all of the pets her children had.

Livingston Philanthropies, Inc (LPI) this week highlights its long-time distribution partner, Newark’s Bessie Green Community. Bessie Green has been working with LPI for ten years.
Known among its neighbors as the “Red Door,” Bessie Green Community Inc. has been serving the underprivileged of Newark since 1978. Led by executive director Brenda Scott and manager Monique Kelly, the agency provides hot meals, clothing, bags of food, and support services to the community at large. Bessie Green Community’s mission “feeding, clothing, and supporting our neighbors with compassion and dignity as we diligently pursue the vision of an equitable world for all.”
“We are very thankful for the donations from Livingston Philanthropies,” commented Scott.  “During the COVID-19 pandemic, their support has helped women with children, seniors, students and the homeless.”
Added Kelly, “Thank you, Livingston Philanthropies, for everything you do for Bessie Green.”

At its meeting on Tuesday evening, February 15, the Planning Board approved plans for a new artificial turf field at Livingston High School. Before the project can be put out to bid, it was subject to review and approval by the Engineering Department and the Planning Board. The latter was also asked to determine whether the project is consistent with the township’s master plan.

Architect Matthew Gianforcaro explained that the artificial turf field will be installed behind the high school, in an area commonly called the “Pit.” Construction will include new baseball dugouts and bull pens, a new batting cage, nine new light poles, two scoreboards, and netting. A new padded concrete retaining wall will be erected, and the field will be surrounded by a new chain link fence.

A 73-year-old woman was pinned beneath an SUV after she was hit by the vehicle last week, Livingston Police said.

At about 2:45 p.m. on Friday, February 11, Livingston Police responded to the area of Wahler Road and Taconic Road, near Livingston High School, for a report of a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian.

Upon arrival, officers determined that a silver 2020 BMW SUV operated by Kajel Sebastian, 44, of Livingston, had struck a pedestrian, Yi Yu Wang, 73, also from Livingston, at the intersection of Wahler Road and Taconic Road. Wang was pinned underneath the vehicle but was alert and responsive when officers arrived.

The Livingston Fire Department responded to the scene and was able to safely move the vehicle off of Wang. Paramedics then arrived and transported the victim to the Morristown Medical Trauma Center for advanced medical care.

This crash remains under investigation as of press time.