Livingston Tribune

WINS SEMI-FINALS: Team Brazil, a Livingston Soccer Club fifth and sixth grade girls’ team, played its semi-final game in the Carpini Cup Tournament under the lights at the Madonna field on Thursday, November 18, and defeated England, 1-0. It was a close game and the winning goal was scored by Addison Krantz. Shown here, team members include Eriel Porter, Addison Krantz, Abigale Quillen, Samantha Meyer, Jayde Bernstein, Jayde Crystal, Taylor Goldstein, Charli Wernick, Hailey Doria, and Lexa Abramson.

Members of the “Indian Moms in Livingston (IMIL)” Facebook group participated in an intuitive art workshop with Shraddha Pundeer, an abstract figurative artist and Livingston resident, last Friday, November 19, at the Twisted Tulip.

“Intuitive art is about awakening the spontaneous intelligence that everyone has, we had it as kids, and recognizing that we have access to it,” said Pundeer. “It’s still alive and can actually support us and function in our lives.”

“Abstract work that moms did got an artist out of them; some ladies said that they felt like an artist for a day!” said Monica Gupta, who founded the IMIL Facebook group.

“Through this event, moms were able to relax and unwind in an upbeat atmosphere,” she added.

“One of the goals of IMIL is to support local mom entrepreneurs,” she said. “and to also help new ladies in the town to get to know each other and build a community bond”

Catherine Rita McKenna Gelo, beloved sister, mother, and grandmother, left this life on November 18, 2021, at the age of 90, following a series of age-related illnesses.

Born in Dover, New Jersey, on January 14, 1931, Catherine was the daughter of Lenore (née Emerick) and Felix Francis Xavier McKenna of Long Valley. She grew up in Rockaway and Long Valley. After graduating from Hackettstown High School, she worked at the Morris County Courthouse. She married Joseph V. Gelo in 1956, and the couple lived and raised their family in Livingston until 2013, when they moved to Hackettstown.

Raymond A. Lomax passed away peacefully on Monday, November 22, 2021, at the age of 75 after a long illness.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, Ray grew up in Livingston and graduated from Livingston High School and Central College in Pella, Iowa, with a bachelor of science degree in liberal arts. He continued and received his master’s degree in education administration from Montclair State University.

Ray spent many years in high school and college working for the Livingston Recreation and Parks Department. He was the program director at the West Essex YMCA in Livingston when the current facility first opened establishing the original programs and aquatics for many years. Ray was very active in the Liv

Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI) founder Jeff Friedman, along with LPI volunteers Alan Wishengrad and Rick Levin, delivered some 3,700 pounds of fresh produce to long-time distribution partner Newark Emergency Services For Families (NESF). “Purchased with Livingston’s continued support and just in time for NESF’s Free Grocery Giveaway event, hundreds of families living below the poverty line received their share of the healthy bounty,” said Friedman. He invites Livingston neighbors to purchase diapers, baby wipes, baby food, men’s socks, men’s gloves, and/or toiletries to help those in extreme need. He can be reached at njhomeless@aol.com. For those who prefer empowering LPI volunteers to do the shopping and continue purchasing fresh produce, contributions may be made at paypal.me/njhomeless or by mail to LPI, 8 Country Club Road, Livingston, NJ 07039. More information and photos are available at njhomeless.org.

Rachel Ann DelTufo, age 74, of Livingston, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 10, 2021.

Born in 1947 in Newark, New Jersey to Eugene Rossi Sr. and Grace Maffei Rossi, Rachel spent her formative years in Belleville, and graduated from Belleville High School. She met her future husband, Anthony DelTufo, at Branch Brook Park Ice Rink. They married in 1968 and later moved to Livingston in 1971, where they raised two children and continue to reside.

Rachel was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother “Nana.” She was a hairdresser for many years, and all her customers were welcomed like family.

Rachel was a member of Full Gospel Church of Livingston, where she led the women’s ministry, and was a spiritual mentor to many. She had a fierce love of the Lord and shared it with all who knew her and would listen. Most recently, she was an active member of the VFW Women’s Auxiliary and served as Post Chaplain.

CARPINI CUP WINNERS: Seattle Reign defeated the Orlando Pride, 3-0, in the finals to win the Livingston Soccer Club’s Carpini Cup seventh-ninth grade girls’ championship. Shown here are, rear, coaches Zef August, Miguel Padilla, and Dave Guild; middle row, Isabella Taverna, Sophia Guild, Gabby Davis, Sofia Molinari, Lilah August, Riya Sutaria, Daniela Lavian, Gabby Padilla, and Maya Nadkarni; and front, Olivia Guild, Bridget Greenfeld, Melanie Cuna, and Vivien Delevante.

During recent Board of Education meetings, members have discussed plans for a new athletic turf field, which would be placed in “the pit” behind the football field at Livingston High School, near the Haines pool and Littell People’s Park. The school district could request bidders for the project as soon as December, according to business administrator Steven Robinson. As of the previous meeting, on November 9, the Board had not committed to the project; but that would happen if its members awarded a bid.

There are obvious benefits to adding another athletic field to the school district. More than half a dozen high school teams, as well as the marching band, would likely utilize the field. Funds also would come from the capital reserve, so it would not cost taxpayers additional money. Surely, a turf field would require less day-to-day maintenance during its lifespan than a traditional grass field, which would require landscaping and line painting, among other things.

Over the past few weeks we have heard from dozens of residents who have explained that they had been victims of a crime. All of these Livingston residents have had mail stolen, and as a result, have dealt with identity theft issues and cases of fraud. In some instances, people have been bilked out of tens of thousands of dollars. While these residents should receive restitution, it is undoubtedly causing undue stress. And all of this has caused many to lose trust in the security of their mail.

Several weeks ago, we published what we knew about the investigation so far. The United States Postal Inspection Services, along with the Livingston Police Department, is actively investigating the matter.

Unfortunately, we do not (officially and on the record) know much else about what happened at this point. Federal investigations tend to move slowly, and while they are active, there is little information to share.

Dear Editor:

My letter is in response to last week’s front-page article in which a resident asked members of the Town Council to consider a ban on gas powered leaf blowers. The article further mentioned that the matter was being considered for recommendation by the Livingston Environmental Commission to the Township Council. As a resident of Livingston for 56 years and a landscape maintenance contractor since 1978 in Livingston, the article caused my phone to ring off the hook with calls from fellow landscape contractors asking for my opinion on the matter. Here are some facts to be considered. Battery powered outdoor power equipment technology and actual equipment is in its infancy and not ready to deal with the task of blowing leaves, wet or dry, for the size properties we have here in Livingston.