Columns/Opinions

With apologies to “Miss Rachel” and “Paw Patrol,” two of the few children’s shows I find somewhat tolerable, as well as “Sesame Street,” which my kids sadly don’t really care for, there is one program my three-year-old boys watch that stands head and shoulders above the rest. In a world of mind-numbing drivel (watch “Blippi” or “Cocomelon” at your own risk), “Bluey” is a beacon of light in the dark sea of children’s entertainment.

Anyone who has watched a few episodes of “Bluey” likely understands. For those who haven’t, I’ll try to explain: The seven-minute episodes follow a family of anthropomorphic heeler dogs living in Brisbane, Australia - Mom, Chilli; Dad, Bandit; and children, fouryear- old Bingo and six-year-old Bluey - through playtime, errands, housework, school, and vacations. The episodes are typically scored to classical music, including some of the most famous works in history and original compositions made for the show.

In recent months, and particularly during the past few weeks, Livingston has seen several vigils and protests that can very broadly be described as pro-Israel (asking for the safe return of hostages taken by Hamas on October 7,2023, praying for the Israeli Defense Forces, etc.) and pro-Palestine (calling for a cease fire, praying for thousands of victims in Gaza that have been caught in the crossfire of the Israel-Hamas war, etc.).

In covering these events, the Tribune has received some criticism from multiple perspectives of this complex situation. We have been accused of being sympathetic to one side of this issue, and then the other. Readers have said we have covered things both too much and too little. Any story we report, photos we share, or events we publicize is met with some level of controversy.

With the retirements of three long-serving Livingston Police Department officers last month, we would like to take a moment to express our gratitude for their service to this community.

We thank Captain John Drumm, Sergeant Michael Herbert, and Officer Ralph Kolbusz for their combined nine decades of experience working with the LPD. Each of them brought his own contributions to Livingston, and we wish them well in retirement.

Happy Lunar New Year

The Livingston Democratic County Committee has submitted three names for the pending vacancy on the Township Council. Laurence Bergmann, James McIlvaine, and Ketan Bhuptani have been nominated to fill Rosy Bagolie’s seat.

While the holiday season is the most common time for packages to be stolen – due to the uptick in deliveries and nature of what is being ordered – thefts do not stop when the calendar turns to a new year. To wit, a package was recently stolen off the front porch of a Mt. Pleasant Parkway home; the Livingston Detective Bureau continues to investigate the matter.

Package theft has, unfortunately, become a common nuisance in recent years as people more frequently than ever rely on home delivery.

At the end of December, an addendum to the Livingston Public Schools’ Final Equity Audit Report was released. The update followed up on two issues raised during the December 5 presentation of the report during a Board of Education meeting: special education, and retaliatory culture concerns. The report contained revealing and concerning information, showing that there is much for the district to improve upon when it comes to equity. Hopefully, it will be a useful tool to rectify these issues. To wit, Board members have already started discussing how to address the audit’s recommendations, and meetings are actively being held with administrators, advisors, and equity coaches on the topic.

In May of 2023, Governor Phil Murphy declared January to be Muslim Heritage Month in New Jersey. When this legislation passed, Muslim leaders called it an historic moment. New Jersey was just the fourth state in the country to create such a month. These leaders also noted that recognizing Muslim Heritage Month will help to combat discrimination against Muslims. Last week, following urging from some residents, the Township Council stated a plan to pass a resolution acknowledging the month in Livingston at its next meeting.

As New Jersey experienced its first snowfall of the season this past week, let us offer a friendly reminder to shovel your sidewalks.

After every major snowstorm, there are dozens of homeowners throughout town who do not clear their sidewalks. As a result, individuals trying to safely walk or jog around Livingston (including children walking to school) are put in unnecessarily dangerous situations, forced to walk in a lane of traffic on one of the town’s busiest roadways, for example.

We do understand that shoveling is difficult for some of our residents, but those residents still miraculously find a way to get their driveways cleared! Whether homeowners take care of the snow themselves, have friends or family lend a hand, or they pay someone to clear the area, the driveways get done, and so should the sidewalks.

Many years ago, when the Board of Education first announced plans to close schools in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, one of our readers, Patricia Idrobo, came up with the idea of creating “A Day On, Not A Day Off.” Idrobo organized many community groups, and mobilized a cadre of kids to go to the high school cafeteria to perform a variety of community services. The inaugural “Day On” event was a great success. The cafeteria was filled with tables at which people were working on behalf of others. It was a joy to see, but more importantly, it helped to demonstrate to our children the lessons that Dr. King taught. At the end of the program, there was also a brief educational component which helped to teach Dr. King’s ideals.

Earlier this week, on New Year’s Day, residents, elected officials, friends, and family members gathered in person for the reorganizational meeting of Livingston’s Township Council. We were heartened to see another packed event, with hundreds of residents filling the Livingston Senior/Community Center to witness the township’s government and committees be set for the year.

It cannot be overstated how wonderful it is to see that so many residents have volunteered to help make this town great. The dozens of committees included the Arts Council, the Committee for Diversity and Inclusion, various parade and event planning groups, and so much more. It’s that willingness to contribute to this community that makes Livingston so special, and that was evident this past Monday.