Livingston Tribune

Despite a little worry that Livingston would feel some of the effects of Hurricane Dorian, the township, fortunately, did not end up in the path of the storm. Still, we know that many residents were scrambling to grab last-minute supplies, just in case. Since our office is next door to ShopRite, it’s hard to miss the commotion of potential inclimate weather – we can always tell that bad weather is on the way just by watching ShopRite’s parking lot fill up beyond capacity.

We know all too well the nerves that come with an impending major storm. The back-to-back years of Hurricane Irene and superstorm Sandy in 2011 and 2012 still have many fearing that the next weather event will be the worst yet. And it’s fine to feel that way because we all should be as prepared as possible for another “once in a lifetime” storm, since it’s clear that this kind of intense weather has become anything but rare as the climate continues to change.

For our readers who recently returned home from vacation, welcome back! We hope everyone had a great summer. Now that most people have returned to town, aside from a few stragglers lucky enough to still be down the shore, it’s time to turn our attention to all that is happening in Livingston.

Fall is a busy time in our community. The cooling temperature means that children have returned to school and, in addition to classes, they are quite likely engaging in a long list of extracurricular activities, from art, to music programs, to dance classes, to fall sports.

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A memorial service for Melinda Boronski (Weiss), 62, was held in Massachusetts on September 1. Mrs. Boronski died on August 23.

Born in East Orange, she lived in Newark and Livingston before moving to Hardwick, Massachusetts.

Mrs. Boronski graduated from Livingston High School in 1975. She received her bachelor’s degree from SUNY Purchase and her master’s degree from Boston College, and was employed as a substance abuse counselor.

She is survived by Chet, her husband of 30 years; her daughter, Hannah, and her stepdaughter, Emily; and her brothers, Howard Weiss (Cheryl) of West Orange, and Albert Weiss (Naomi) of Cherry Hill.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 14 Commerce Dr., Suite 301, Cranford, NJ 07016.

The Lancers were defeated by the Randolph Rams, 20-6, on Friday evening, September 6. Shown above, Lancer quarterback Will Egner sets the offensive line prior to the snap against Randolph. At left, Lancers tailback Brian Russo stiff arms the Rams defender to pick up a Lancer first down. Below, many fans in the student section wore Hawaiianthemed attire at last Friday’s varsity football game. Don Schwartz Photos

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The Township will hold a “Welcome to Livingston” event on Monday, September 16, for those who have moved into the community during the course of the past year. The festivities will be held at the Livingston Senior/ Community Center, 204 Hillside Avenue, lower level, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

The annual event is designed to give new residents the opportunity to meet other newcomers and their families, while learning more about Livingston. Free refreshments, provided by local supermarkets and restaurants, will be offered.

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A large, appreciative and enthusiastic audience of about 2,200 came to the grand opening celebration of LifeTown on Monday, September 9. Events included a ribbon cutting, uncovering the sign for the Jerry Gottesman Center on the building, and self-guided tours. Live music, refreshments and children’s activities preceded the ceremonies. Photos of the event may be seen in this week’s issue of the Tribune, on page B-4.

Mayor Alfred M. Anthony spoke for the township when he said, “This is a monumental day for Livingston. I am probably the proudest mayor in the world today. We are blown away by this achievement! Monday, September 9 will forever be known as ‘LifeTown Day’ in Livingston.”

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Nirav Patel, a senior at Livingston High School, was installed as the student representative to the Board of Education for 2019-20 at its meeting on Monday, September 9.

Following the installation, Board president Buddy August provided a few words of advice.

“You are not a potted plant,”August said. “We want to hear from you, we want your opinions on things. Speak out when you think we are doing something you think the students won’t like.”

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The ninth giving season of Living-ston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI) is off to an extremely strong start “thanks to our altruistic Livingston residents,” announced Jeff Friedman, founder and director of the organization.
LPI volunteers provided needed clothing items to the Bessie Green Community at North Reformed Church, and toiletry gift bags to  clients at  John’s Soup Kitchen, both  located in Newark.
The Bessie Green “Clothes Barn” operation received a large, three-vehicle delivery from volunteers Alan Levin, Rick Levin and Stephen Greenberg.
“Still using personal vehicles to make it happen, they are loaded up to the gills with an array of family clothing, shoes, coats, men’s dress attire and more,” said Friedman. “Mostly high-quality garments, as always.”
Levin, a founding LPI volunteer, reported that  “We filled up my SUV, Alan’s station wagon and Stephen’s car. We picked up a bigger than expected load of donations at the Tribune, too.”

Peter Walker Armstrong, 80, of Temple, Maine, died suddenly on August 27, 2019. He was born in 1939, in Newark, New Jersey, to Richard and Elizabeth (Schuh) Armstrong, and grew up in Livingston.

Peter attended Colby College and Boston University Graduate School, from which he earned degrees. He served two years in the Peace Corps in Panama and worked professionally for the YMCA of Reading and Berks County, Pennsylvania.

He met and married Janice Jeffers in New York City, and Peter and Janice moved to Maine to homestead. Peter became a coordinator of Red Nugget Harvesters, a cooperative apple picking and pruning crew. Later, he continued to prune apple trees during the winter and restore gardens during the summer, for the rest of his life. An avid birder, he loved the natural world: skiing, canoeing, camping and hiking. Peter and Janice lived “off the grid” for twenty five years, building their own home and growing organic vegetables.

Next week marks the 18th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the fall of the World Trade Center, the crash of Flight 93, and the attack on the Pentagon.

On that day, Livingston lost seven of its residents: Luke A. Dudek, Jeffrey Brian Gardner, Donald Thomas Jones II, Ming-Hao Liu, Joseph P. McDonald, John M. Pocher, and Kenneth Albert Zelman. They became part of a nationwide tragedy that forever changed the face of America.

Our nation was changed forever that day. Our country’s confidence in the security of its citizens and its institutions was shaken to its core, and nothing has been the same since. In the years that followed, towns across the nation held ceremonies to honor the more than 3,000 people who lost their lives in the attacks, including our own service in Livingston, organized for 18 years running by Bunnie Ratner, chairperson of the 9/11 garden at the Oval along with the annual Ceremony of Remembrance.