Livingston news

Michael D. Russo Jr. of Livingston, died on Tuesday, December 26, at the age of 91.

Mr. Russo was a Livingston Old Guard member, and worked at Anheuser-Busch in Newark for 50 years before retiring.

He is pre-deceased by his parents, Michael and Concetta; and his wife, Lucy. Mr. Russo is survived by his children, Romano, Vincent, Michael, and Lawrence; his eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Visitation was held on Tuesday, January 2, at Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home in Livingston. A funeral Mass was held on Wednesday, January 3, at St. Raphael’s Church in Livingston, and entombment followed at Gates of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Mr. Russo’s name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. If it’s not about Livingston, it’s not in the Tribune! Strictly local coverage of the things you care about in Livingston.

The Township of Livingston’s Christmas Tree Collection and Recycling program will begin on January 2 and end on January 31.

Residents can leave their undecorated live-cut Christmas trees at the curb, as they would for regular recycling. The trees will be collected Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Christmas tree collection program saves the cost of garbage disposal, since the Township is charged by weight to remove bulk items.

The Department of Public Works provides an additional environmentally friendly aspect to the collection program. DPW employees chip the trees into mulch, which is made available to residents for pickup at no cost. The mulch created from the trees can be used in flower beds and garden borders. The DPW collected and recycled nearly 2,000 Christmas trees last year.

Go to livingstonnj.org/Recycling for more information about this program.

After doing laundry after dinner last Tuesday, December 19, Emily (Bellovin) O’Neill decided she wanted to eat some more. Back in the kitchen, she took a spoonful of cold rice from a container - and it got stuck in her throat.

“I decided to drink a lot of water, which I think most people would do,” she said. “I don’t know if it made the rice expand or get gooey and sticky. But the water couldnot go down, and the rice was certainly lodged. I could not breathe, and I could not speak. I was spitting up the water because it had nowhere to go.”

Trying to look for her phone, Emily opened the front door. “I stood there, waving my arms, hoping someone would see, but it was dark. I needed someone to call 9-1 -1,” she recounted. She began to panic. “I was

LANCERS DEFEAT SCIENCE PARK: Livingston High School’s boys’ varsity basketball team defeated Science Park, 48-32, on Tuesday, December 19, and Barringer, 51-23, on Thursday, December 21. Shown here, Livingston forward Luke McNichol, #55, drives the lane against Science Park.

The West Essex Tribune is celebrating more than six decades of showering the first baby of the new year with an assortment of gifts generously donated by our advertisers. The first baby of 2024 born to Livingstonparents will be named the winner of the Tribune’s 66th annual First Baby Contest.

The rules to determine the winner are the same each year: The first baby of2024 must be bom in a nearby hospital to parents who currently reside in Livingston. The exact time of the birth must be certified in writing by the attending physician.

Entries must be received in the West Essex Tribune office by noon on Tuesday, January 2. The winner will be announced in the January 4 edition of the newspaper.

The Tribune office will be closed on New Year’s Day; however, entries may be emailed to WETribune@gmail.com.

The Livingston Fire Department (LFD) presented a donation to the Burn Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center last week, at the Camuso Holiday Display. The funds were collected during the LFD’s Annual Fire Prevention Week open house. Kathe Conlon, director of community outreach of the Burn Foundation and liaison to the Camuso Committee, accepted the check next to the Fire Department’s antique 1954 Mack Engine, known as “Sweet Pea.” Shown here are LFD members Jim Kedrie, Tom Cooney, Ryan Cooney, and director Conlon. 

Livingston Police were busy this week, responding to two incidents of shoplifting at Nordstrom Rack; two burglaries into vehicles; a residential burglary and an attempted residential burglary; and a stolen vehicle.

Winchester Road Burglary

On Sunday, December 24, at 2:31 a.m., Livingston officers responded to a Winchester Road residence on a report of a burglary. The homeowners told the officers they returned home after being out for several hours and found the home had been burglarized. Entry had been made through a rear window, and the house had been ransacked. At press time, the homeowners are compiling a list of the items that were stolen. The Livingston Detective Bureau is investigating.

Attempted Burglary

Livingston Boy Scout Troop 12 member Maxwell Miller has recently earned the honor of Eagle Scout, which is the highest rank that the Boys Scouts of America offers. He celebrated his Eagle Court of Honor on Saturday, December 16. He is the son of Peter and Kelley Miller of Livingston.

He began his journey to Eagle as a Pack 16 Bear Scout in 2014. After completing the Boy Scout ranks, Miller was awarded the Arrow of Light and bridged over to Troop 12 in 2017. When he earned his first class rank, Miller became a troop guide; which he actively remains today.

Miller was trained at the Junior Leader Training Course at Camp NoBeBoSco, and has earned a total of 22 merit badges.

Livingston resident Beulah Samuel died on Saturday, December 16, at the age of 83.

Mrs. Samuel immigrated to the United States from Yadgiri, India in 1970. She was a registered nurse and licensed practical nurse at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center for 35 years.

She is survived by her husband, Samuel Yesudas; her three children, Rajesh, Sanjay, and Asha; her brothers, David Edison Simeon and Ebenezer Simeon; and four grandchildren.

Visitation was held on Saturday, December 23, at the Livingston United Methodist Church. Interment took place at Restland Memorial Park in East Hanover.

WRESTLING TEAM WINS: On Wednesday, December 20, the Livingston High School wrestling team defeated the Kearny Kardinals, 51-25, in the Fitness and Wellness Center. Shown above, Lancer 144 pound weight class wrestler Christopher Taddeo sets up Kearny’s Lucas Ruiz prior to a pin. Below, Livingston’s 144 pound weight class wrestler Christopher Taddeo pins Kearny’s Lucas Ruiz. Referee Jack Meyer hits the mat signaling the pin.