The Livingston High School girls' softball team won the Essex County championship for the second consecutive year. The Lady Lancers captured the title by defeating Bloomfield in the semifinals and Mount St. Dominic (MSD) in the finals. The Lady Lancers hit three homeruns against Bloomfield while pitcher Jess Peslak hurled a no-hitter in the 12-0 win.

The Lancers defeated the MSD Lions, 5-4, to capture the Essex County Championship at Ivy Hill Park on the Campus of Seton Hall University.

As a result of a request made under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), the Tribune late last week received copies of the reports filed in connection with the Livingston Police Department’s Emergency Services Unit training exercise on April 19.

As reported in the Tribune’s April 25 issue, a training exercise was conducted by the Livingston Police Department’s Emergency Services Unit (ESU) along with officers from other municipalities on Friday, April 19.

The ESU training exercise was conducted by the Essex County Police Academy and included basic SWAT and advanced room clearing. The exercise was conducted on or near the DuBrow’s property between West Northfield Road and the Community Center property on Hillside Avenue. Upon witnessing the drill, an alarmed citizen in the area reported what appeared to be suspicious activity to the Police Department.

The Girl Scouts of Livingston held their 18th annual Recognition and Bridging ceremony on May 20, to honor local Girl Scout achievements. Receiving their Gold Awards were Sarah Stein and Sara Vossler, both of Troop 743. The Gold Award is the highest award in Girl Scouting and represents a girl's accomplishments in both Scouting and her community. The prerequisites of the Girl Scout Gold Award help girls build skills, explore careers, gain leadership skills, and make a commitment to self-improvement. After completing the prerequisites, a girl must design and implement her own Gold Award project that is the culmination of all her work and must total a minimum of 80 hours.

Livingston’s 63rd annual Memorial Day parade will take place on Monday, May 27. The first parade in Livingston was held in 1950.

The day will begin with a patriotic ceremony honoring all veterans at the Memorial Park oval at 9:30 a.m.

The parade will begin at 10 a.m. at the oval and proceed north on Livingston Avenue, crossing Mt. Pleasant Avenue and ending at the Northland recreation complex.

The chairman of the Parade Committee this year is Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2856 member John Michaels, and the Grand Marshal will be Murray Sklar, a member of both the Livingston VFW and Livingston Post 740 of the Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A. Also in the line of march will be this year's Miss Buddy Poppy, Adriana Del Tufo.

The Livingston Board of Education presented plans on Tuesday evening to the Planning Board for the expansion of the school district's central office on Foxcroft Drive.

Superintendent of schools Dr. Brad Draeger explained that the building itself has had very good upkeep but is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

On Monday evening, the Board of Education approved the appointment of Dr. John Alfieri as the district's new superintendent. He will replace current superintendent Dr. Brad Draeger, who is retiring at the end of this school year.

Board president Ronnie Spring said the selection of Dr. Alfieri followed an exhaustive search with input through on-line surveys and small group and community-wide forums.