Livingston news

On Saturday, December 2, former Livingston resident Phyllis Hundley died at age 77.

Mrs. Hundley worked at Sears Roebuck and Company for 22 years, and was involved with the operations of Hundley CPAs and James H. HundleyAssociates. She was also a member of the Hopatcong Jewish Community Center and Weight Trimmers.

She is survived by her husband, James; her daughter, Hilary Wolf and son, Ethan; siblings, Roger and Gerald Miller; and her three grandchildren.

Services were held in Roseland on Monday, December 4. Shiva will be held at the residence of Hilary and Ian Wolf through Sunday, December 10.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Quinlan Hospice at www. karenannequinlanhospice.org; Trees in Israel at www.shop.jnf.org; or the American Cancer Society at donate. cancer.org.

Tyler A. Reid of Robins, Iowa, formerly of Livingston, died Monday, November 27, at the age of 21.

Ms. Reid was born on December 8, 2001, in Livingston, the daughter of Vincent and Darline (Davermann) Reid.

At the age of ten, her family relocated to Robins. She attended Bowman Woods Elementary, Oakridge Middle School and Xavier High School.

She graduated from Xavier High School in 2020 and began her secondary education at Oberlin College and Conservatory, where she was majoring in neuroscience with a minor in music.

In addition to her parents, Ms. Reid is survived by her brother, Kyle Reid; her grandparents, Georgette Davermann, Alma Cunningham, and Vincent G. Reid; her aunts, Myrlande (Davermann) Wilson and Sandra Davermann; and her uncle, Rohan Clarke.

The Livingston Planning Board, at its November 21 meeting, approved InSite Development Partners, LLC’s amended site plan for 644 Route 10. The Board also heard from Devan Partners LLC regarding the construction of a dental office at 505 South Livingston Avenue, ultimately pushing back a vote to December 19.

45 South Livingston Avenue

Prior to their meeting, the Board held a consistency review of Ordinance 19 of the Township Council, a redevelopment plan to build a new apartment complex at 45 South Livingston Avenue. The review sought to determine how an updated version of the ordinance fit Livingston’s Master Plan. It included a reduction in both height and market-rate units from the previous version of the ordinance.

The Camuso Holiday Display will open for the 2023 season this Saturday evening at the Oval, in front of the gazebo.

The exhibit is open weekdays from 5 to 9 p.m. It will close at 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays this December.

The display will open on S aturday, December 2, with a performance by the Livingston Starliners DanceTeam at 6:30 p.m. Lights will go on at 7 p.m. Ernie Camuso’s great grandchildren, the Rentis family, will lead the lighting. The evening will also include trackless train rides, a choir quartet in the gazebo, and a bouncy house.

The “elves” on the Display Committee are hard at work preparing for the opening. Its members have been meeting to raise funds and to plan improvements to the display.

“We vowed last year that 2023 would be bigger and better than ever,” said Chief Elf Tom Cooney.

WINTER SPORTS TRYOUTS START: Tryouts for the Livingston High School winter sports teams are underway at the Fitness and Wellness Center and track field at LHS. Above, Lancer shot put candidates work on their technique during tryouts on the track. Below, long-distance runners set the pace during tryouts. Photos for tryouts for other winter sports can be seen throughout this issue. Don Schwartz Photos

Town Hall was filled to a standing room only capacity on Monday, November 27, as a controversial ordinance was passed, five months after it was first introduced, at the Township Council meeting.

The ordinance was to formally adopt the 45 South Livingston Avenue District Redevelopment Plan. Dozens of residents spoke at length, both in opposition and support of the ordinance, prior to its passage.

When comment on the ordinance began, Council member Shawn Klein recusedhimself for the duration of the meeting, due to a conflict of interest. In a closed executive session prior to the regular meeting, the Council had also discussed Fair Share Housing, specifically the 45 South Livingston Avenue project that was to be voted on that evening.

On Saturday, November 25, Philip ‘ Pop ’ John Farinella Sr. died at the age of 88. Ason of Italian immigrants, he grewup inNewark, and lived with his wife, Joyce, in Livingston for 65 years.

He was a graduate of Fordham University, a pharmacist, and owned a chain of local pharmacies.

Mr. Farinella is survived by his wife, Joyce; his five children; and 12 grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations go to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Vasilios Kales, 83, of Livingston, died on Thursday, November 23.

Mr. Kales immigrated to the United States from Greece. He was an engineer for the Greek Merchant Marines, and was a general contractor and owner of Technique Renovations in Livingston.

He is predeceased by his parents, Anestis Kales and Dialekti Vouzianis; and his sister, Pangiota Vekris.

He is survived by his partner, Diane Manno; daughters Patricia Seugling, Katerina Kales, and Kimberly Weinrich; and his three grandchildren.

Visitation for friends and relatives of Mr. Kales took place on Tuesday, November 28, at the Shook-Farmer Funeral Home in Roseland.Afuneral ceremony was held afterwards. Interment was private.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Mr. Kales’ memory.

A Worthwhile Effort

We know that there are many residents who live in the area of the former Bottle King property who are quite upset today, as they have been for many months. That property will likely become a 195-unit apartment complex in a few years, after a redevelopment ordinance passed at Monday’s Township Council meeting.

We are sure that this does not quell the anger and frustration that they feel, but it is well worth noting that their efforts in opposing the project have made a difference. Yes, its size was not reduced nearly as much as its neighbors wished to see, but we are certain that without their constant vocal opposition over the past half year, that it would have been a larger project.

Livingston resident Erica Goldring was an insurance defense attorney before giving birth to her son. She expected to go back to work, but found that her priorities had changed. The decision wasn’t easy, but Goldring decided to take a pay cut and entered a new chapter in her life as a mother.

“I said to myself, ‘I’m taking my maternity leave, and I’m definitely going to be back. I put deposits on day cares. I was like, I’m doing this. And then, my baby was born,” she said.

Having a hard time adjusting to this huge change in her life, Goldring found comfort in cooking for her son.