It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and as we continue through this holiday season, we wanted to reflect on some matters that are regularly brought up around this time.It is well worth a reminder to drive safely this holiday season. As a deterrent to dissuade drunk driving, police departments statewide are expected to add extra enforcement on the roads through New Year’s Day, as part of the annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. This holiday season, make smart choices, and make sure those around you are doing the same. Sometimes we have to make others’ choices for them, which may cause some friction, but is well worth it in the end.While we applaud the state and our local police officers for their efforts, they are not the only ones responsible for keeping our roads and families out of harm’s way. We are all responsible for our own actions. So, please, plan a safe, sober ride home before heading out this December and every day after. We have much to celebrate, but remember to do so responsibly.We are always thrilled to see our already magnanimous community give even more come the holiday season, and as we approach the New Year, let us not lose that generous spirit. This year’s skyrocketing inflation, coming on the heels of the pandemic, has hit many people hard, both in Livingston and in Essex County. In the cold winter months ahead, do not forget that your donations will continue to be needed, as contributions to charitable groups and organizations tend to fall off dramatically after the holidays end. So if you are able, try to give a little more in the coming months. If you want to give locally, consider Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI) or Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors (LNHN), to name just a few of the town’s great organizations.LPI is a charity founded by long-time Livingston resident (and occasional Tribune contributor) Jeff Friedman. Jeff grew up in Livingston and has lived here all his life. He worked for many years as a television producer. In his retirement, he established a winter coat drive, collecting gently used coats from Livingston residents for distribution to the poor of Essex County. The Tribune helped publicize his efforts, and eventually became a drop-off point for coats to make donating easier.In the dozen or so years since then, Friedman’s coat drive grew exponentially. Thanks to the ...
