Livingston community

VARSITY BASEBALL SCRIMMAGES: The Lancers varsity baseball team scrimmaged the New Providence Pioneers on Wednesday, March 27, on the Oval. Shown at left, Lancer batter Noah Boxer swings at a fastball thrown by New Providence pitcher Jake Monaco. At right, Livingston pitcher Julian Schultz pushes off the rubber to deliver a fastball against New Providence.

In a recent move, the Trustees of the Livingston Public Library unanimously passed a resolution declaring the library a sanctuary for books. This decision was accompanied by the adoption of the American Library Association’s (ALA) “Freedom to Read” statement, aimed at safeguarding the community’s unrestricted access to information without censorship.

The resolution comes in response to escalating threats against the free flow of information and access to books. Library director Amy Babcock highlighted, in her recent newsletter, alarming statistics provided by the ALA, which documented more than 4,200 book titles targeted for censorship, and more than 1,200 demands for the censorship of library books and resources in 2023.

Book sanctuaries, as a response, collect andprotect endangered books, “making them accessible to patrons instead of banning them,” Babcock wrote.

Livingston detectives are investigating an attempted residential burglary that occurred last weekend.

At 6:41 a.m. on Sunday, March24, officers responded to a Coddington Terrace home on a report of an attempted burglary to the residence.

Officers arrived and met with the homeowners, who said they saw several people trying to force entry into a rear window with a crowbar. They fled the scene upon seeing the homeowner.

Police believe the suspects were targeting keys for vehicles that were parked in the driveway. The Livingston Detective Bureau is investigating the matter.

At its March 26 meeting, the Livingston Zoning Board re-heard the cases for Abhishek Gangwal at 6 Hazelwood Avenue, and 44 North Ashby Ave., LLC, at 44 and 46 North Ashby Avenue, approving both applications. The Board then listened to three more cases during the course of the meeting, and ultimately approved all three of them.

44 and 46 North Ashby Avenue

At the February meeting, 44North Ashby Ave., LLC made a request to subdivide the parcel encompassing 44 and 46 North Ashby Avenue into two lots-Lots 1.01 and 12.01 - and to rearrange their layouts to be more symmetrical. Additionally, a house on 12.01 would be tom down and replaced with a different two-story home, with engineer Joseph Bachi and architect Hayk Ekshian providing testimony. This layout was criticized by the Board for going 45 percent over the existing lot space rather than 30 percent, prompting 44 North Ashby Ave., LLC to reduce its space to a more reasonable size.

At its Monday, March 25, meeting, the Livingston Township Council passed two ordinances related to the plannedBrightviewproject expected to be built at the current location of the West Essex YMCA.

Additionally, the Livingston High School chess club was recognized for winning its state championship for the second consecutive year. The club explained their accomplishments to those in attendance and then were issued proclamations from both the township and the state legislature, the latter by Assemblywoman Rosy Bagolie.

Brightview Ordinances

An ordinance was passed to authorize a sale agreement between Brightview Livingston Urban Renewal and the township, for a portion of its 357 South Livingston Avenue (block 3100, lot 55 in the tax map) property that includes the town’s skate park. The proceeds of the sale are expected to cover the cost of a new skate park, to be located elsewhere in town.

Near the end of the Monday, March 25, Township Council meeting, several East Hanover residents complained to the Council about the Livingston Police Firing Range, which is located in close proximity to them.

That shooting range is used by police officers to train and is located off Eisenhower Parkway behind Lithos Estiatorio restaurant, bordering the Passaic River. The range has been in use for more than seven decades. Town records show that the deed to the parcel - Lot 20, Block 68 - was given to the town in 1961 for the express purpose of use as a pistol range. Purchase of the land, which had previously been the site of the Knotty Pine Bar, was authorized by Ordinance No. 31-1961.

Township manager Barry Lewis said it has been used as a shooting range consistently since the sale, with the current structure erected in the 1980s. Police officers in Livingston and nearby towns use the range to complete required firearms training.

Barry Roy Jackowitz passed away on March 18 at the age of 74.

Raised in Hewlett, New York, Barry then lived in Livingston for over 20 years. Barry was a paper and packaging salesman, selling tissue paper and boxes to designers like Donna Karan and North Face. He was a lover of music, golf, politics, baseball, basketball and Seinfeld.

A graveside service was held on March 20 at Mount Lebanon Cemetery in Queens. Barry is survived by his two children, Stefanie and Howard, and his grandchild, Olivia.

Anyone who has been to Livingston’s Senior/Community Center likely knows of the issue we are about to discuss. The littering behind the building has once again gotten out of control.

People (Residents? Business owners? Others who live outside of town?) are dropping off electronic and bulk items behind the property where it is illegal to do so and forcing town employees to deal with the mess.

There are now very clear signs indicating that this dumping is illegal, as well as mentioning a $2,000 fine that would be incurred for those caught doing so. It is worth noting, too, that another sign mentions that the area is now under 24-hour surveillance, so anyone caught illegally dumping should be fairly easy to track down.

SCRIMMAGE AGAINST HUNTERDON CENTRAL: The Lancers scrimmaged with the Red Devils on Friday, March 22, on the Oval. Shown above, Lancer pitcher Sophia Mount brings it to the plate against the Hunterdon Central Red Devils. Below, Lancer freshman Joelle Bent is out at first after driving the ball to the right side of the infield. Don Schwartz Photos

Wilma Goldberg, 88, of Livingston, died on Friday, March 22.

Born to Charles and Mary Sobelman in Philadelphia, she spent much of her life in Blackwood, New Jersey.

While working and raising her three children, she went back to night school. It took her almost ten years, but she earned an associate degree in accounting.

Mrs. Goldberg was the wife of Charles Goldberg; mother of Marlene Laveman (Larry), Scott Goldberg (Kate), and Barry Goldberg (James); and grandmother to five.

A funeral service was held on Monday, March 25, at Bernheim-Apter-Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel in Livingston. Burial followed at Montefiore Cemetery in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.

Contributions in Mrs. Goldberg’s memory may be made to Temple Beth Shalom at tbsnj.org/; or Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at michaeljfox.org/.