West Essex Tribune

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.

I have always had a thing for elephants. Growing up, my favorite Disney movie was Dumbo. The story of a bullied baby elephant overcoming adversity really resonated with me (plus, this was one of the few Disney movies in which the hero’s mom or dad not get killed in some horrible way, leaving him or her tragically orphaned. You can’t beat it!) As a child, many of my makebelieve games involved elephants (being them, being with them, riding on them, you name it), and any zoo visit had to include long periods of time at the elephant enclosure.

Elsie B. Richelieu, age 98, a lifelong resident of Livingston, New Jersey, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, November 10, 2021.

A memorial gathering will be held at Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, 145 East Mt. Pleasant Avenue Livingston, New Jersey, on Friday, November 26, 2021, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a memorial service at 12:30 p.m.

Elsie served in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II, caring for sick and wounded servicemen and their families. She was a valued member of the community, receiving a proclamation honoring her in 2015. Elsie participated in Soup Kitchen, Interfaith Hospitality, CROP Hunger Walks and other outreach programs.

The Livingston Planning Board, at its conference meeting on Tuesday evening, November 16, discussed two zoning-related matters referred to the Board by the Township Council.

Inclusionary Zone

The Council requested a review of an ordinance to establish a new inclusionary development zone, designated as the “R-5L Residence Overlay District,” to determine whether it is consistent with the township’s master plan. The ordinance, which concerns lots located on more than three acres of land along Passaic Avenue and Volker Lane, has been discussed during Council meetings for several months. It has been amended several times, and the latest iteration was re-introduced at the Council’s November 8 meeting.

Livingston Public School administrators described the district’s general plans for utilizing $1,560,000 in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds at the November 9 Board of Education meeting.

The Board will be asked to approve submission of the plan to the state when it meets on Tuesday, November 23, at 7 p.m.

The COVID relief funds are aimed at helping schools open safely, operate safely, and address learning loss resulting from COVID-19. The monies may be spent over the next three years, until 2024.

A condition of the grant, noted

Board president Samantha Messer, is community outreach and how the plan involves stakeholders.

The “general tenets of what we’ve come up with” are posted on the district website, said superintendent of schools Matthew Block, along with a link for viewers to provide feedback. The plan may be viewed at www. livingston.org.

Technology and HVAC

RUNNERS-UP IN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: The Livingston High School girls’ varsity soccer team defeated West Orange, 3-0, in the semi-finals of the state play-offs, played Tuesday, November 9, at home on the LHS turf. The Lancers then traveled to Ridgewood on Friday, November 12, only to be defeated by the Maroons in the finals, 1-0. The Lancers finished their season with a record of 13 wins, nine losses, and two ties. The season was highlighted by runner-up finishes in the Essex County Tournament and the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1 Group 4 State Play-offs. Shown here, clockwise from top left, Lancers Jadyn Liebman, Kelly Lyons, Katherine Riccardi, Ceci Freschi and Kylie Prendergast celebrate Emma Rosenberg’s goal; Lancer left wing Isabella DiIanni beats the West Orange defender to the ball during a Lancer scoring charge; Lancer Avery Reiman works the ball through two West Orange defenders during the state play-off game on the turf. Don Schwartz Photos