Livingston community

Livingston residents, elected officials, and committee members gathered at the corner of Northfield Road and South Livingston Avenue Saturday afternoon to commemorate the hanging of a Black Lives Matter banner. The banner was placed across the pergola at Roosevelt Plaza.

“Livingston has always been a warm and welcoming community, but now that is loud and clear,” said Amy Ipp, Black History Month Committee co-chairperson, during the dedication

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A large portion of the February 8 Board of Education meeting was devoted to questions and concerns from parents about the status of hybrid and remote learning in Livingston.

Parents asked how the Millburn school district is providing more in-person learning time — five days per week at the elementary level than Livingston, and several were critical about the Livingston district’s reliance on the township Health Department for guidance during the pandemic. Livingston has a resourcesharing agreement with Millburn, and Louis Anello is the health officer for both towns.

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The Township Council held a regular meeting on Monday, February 8, during which members passed a resolution pledging to reduce the carbon footprint for construction in town and approved a redevelopment plan for an area of Route 10, among other business. Also discussed was a salt shortage following last week’s snow storm, the to-be-built DPW garage, and the future of the Northland Cemetery. The meeting was livestreamed and may be viewed on the Livingston Township, NJ Facebook page.

The meeting began with a presentation commemorating Black History Month. Alyse Berger-Heilpern and Saba Kahn, co-chairpersons of the Livingston Committee for Diversity and Inclusion, and Keith Hines, Black History Month Committee cochairperson, all spoke to the Council. They discussed the variety of events being held this month, as well as the Black Lives Matter banner that was hung in town last weekend.

Frances Nora Tooker of Livingston died Monday, February 1, at the age of 89. A private service was held at Gate of Heaven Mausoleum in East Hanover.

Born in Orange, Mrs. Tooker had resided in Livingston for over 61 years.

She was an accounting manager for Market Measures Inc., before her retirement. She was a member ofthe St. Raphael Seniors ofLivingston and the Livingston Historical Society.

Predeceased by her husband, William J. Tooker, she is survived by her children, Patricia Ann San George, James Tooker, and William J. Tooker, and two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested that donations in Mrs. Tooker’s memory be made to St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, 575 Woodland Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940 or to the local ASPCA.

Livingston Police Chief Gary Marshuetz and Captain John Drumm recently received their second COVID-19 vaccinations. Chief Marshuetz and Captain Drumm are two of many police officers who have taken advantage of the opportunity to be inoculated in Livingston. Since the end of December 2020, RWJBarnabas Health has been partnering with Essex County to offer COVID-19 Vaccinations at the Sears building at the Livingston Mall.

“It is a privilege to be vaccinated here in Livingston,” Chief Marshuetz said. “I want to thank all of the volunteers who have been donating their time to ensure that the vaccine center continues to run safely and efficiently.”

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JV CAGERS WIN: The Lancer boys’ junior varsity basketball team defeated the Verona Hillbillies, 33-21, in the second game of a triple header against Verona. The games were played in the Livingston High School Fitness and Wellness Center on Saturday, February 6. Shown here, Lancer guard Adin Kurtz gets up to score for the Lancers. Don Schwartz Photo

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WINS “WOMEN IN SPORTS” AWARD: Livingston High School senior athlete Halley Reuter was named the recipient of the NJSIAA National Girls and Women in Sports Day Award. Reuter earned 11 varsity letters playing soccer, basketball and softball for the Lancers throughout her four years at LHS. Don Schwartz Photo

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William Joseph “Bill” Myrtle, 75, of Sparta, New Jersey, passed away peacefully in his home in the early hours of February 8, 2021. He was the husband of Tamar “Tatu” Myrtle, with whom he spent 15 happy years of marriage.

Bill was born on December 30, 1945, in Newark, New Jersey, to William Joseph Myrtle, Sr. and Grace Ursula Myrtle. He was the third of six children and spent his childhood in Irvington, New Jersey. He graduated from Irvington Vocational Technical School, where he returned to give alumni speeches.

Giovanni Cocca, age 87, of Livingston, New Jersey, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family on Monday, February 1, 2021.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Philomena Church, Livingston, New Jersey, on Monday, February 8, followed by a private family committal at Gate of Heaven Cemetery East Hanover, New Jersey. Arrangements were by the Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, Livingston, New Jersey.

Giovanni, the oldest of five children (Tommaso, Marco, Teodemo, and Pellegrino), was born in San Marco dei Cavoti (BN), Italy, to Angelantonio and Teresa (Borrillo) Cocca. He emigrated from Italy in 1963, settling first in Vauxhall, New Jersey, then in Orange and ultimately Livingston, where he and his family resided for 50 years.

We are currently in the midst of Black History Month, an annual observance each February. This year’s remembrance of the people and events of Black history feels particularly poignant, as this is the first one following the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, and the Black Lives Matter protests that followed in the summer of 2020 and beyond.