News

The Livingston Zoning Board of Adjustment heard five residential applications and reviewed the jurisdictional standing of a 2019 application at its virtual meeting on Tuesday, June 23.

One application was denied, one was adjourned, and three were approved.

Jurisdictional Discussion

The Board discussed whether it could hear an application by TRI Owners Realty LLC for variances to construct a new single family home at 35 Sycamore Avenue.

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As of Wednesday morning, June 24, the Essex County health department has reported that a total of 491 Livingston residents have tested positive for COVID-19. 68 of those residents have died as a result of the virus.

On Monday, June 22, limits for outdoor gatherings increased from 100 to 250 people. There remains no limit for outdoor religious or political activities. Indoor gatherings are now limited to 25 percent of capacity, but cannot exceed 100 people.

Shopping malls will be allowed to open on Monday, June 29. Starting next Thursday, July 2, indoor dining will be allowed at 25 percent capacity.

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Planning for the 2020-21 school year and enrollment projections were the main topics at the June 22 Board of Education meeting, which also saw the installation of Aditya Desai, a rising senior, as the student representative to the Board.

Planning During COVID-19

In the absence of guidance from the state about requirements and expectations for the fall, the district has devised a process to create a plan for the fall, said superintendent of schools Matthew Block,

“I don’t think it will work for every district to do something different, coordination is needed,” he commented.

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Monday morning marked the start of the three day “My Graduation Moment” experience for Livingston High School’s Class of 2020! Students signed up for 15 minute time slots throughout the day. When they arrived at the turf, their names were announced as they picked up their diplomas and yearbooks, and took advantage of memorable photo ops all while social distancing. Above, left, Quanxin Li celebrates with her family; above, center, Danny Hubert shares a fun moment with LHS principal Mark Stern; at right, graduating senior Mikaila Anderson tosses her cap high in the air. Additional photos can be seen on page B-4. MCA and LPS Photos

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The Willing Heart Community Care Center (WHCCC) in Newark, a Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI) distribution associate since the Livingston-based charity’s inception in 2011, became the fourth organization to receive LPI food shipments during the pandemic.
“With this week’s delivery to Willing Heart’s Tuesday food pantry program, Livingston’s extreme generosity provided 500 pullman loaves of wheat bread to help feed families living below the poverty line,” noted LPI founder and director Jeff Friedman. “Pullman loaves, usually delivered to restaurants, are larger than loaves found in grocery stores, and can be cut in half to provide sustenance for two needy families.”
Lisa Cherokee Raine Booker, a long-time LPI friend, a Willing Heart “Lady of the Boutique,” and LPI’s liaison to the organization, commented, “Thanks so much, Livingston Philanthropies! Your donations are greatly appreciated.”

Two men are facing several charges after allegedly breaking into several local businesses along West Mt. Pleasant Avenue to steal cash, electronics, and liquor.

At 4:40 a.m. on Sunday, June 14, Livingston Police received a call from the security monitoring service for Wells Fargo Bank at 313 West Mt. Pleasant Avenue. The burglar alarm at the bank had been activated and two people were being observed by live video inside the bank.

Officer Chris Grieco was responding to the bank when he observed a 2003 Hyundai leaving the area. The car was stopped and officers saw that the two men in the car were wearing the same clothes as the people that had been observed in the bank.

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Livingston will have an operational community pool by next weekend, according to township officials.

Mervyn V.T. Haines Pool will open on Friday, June 26. Operating hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., earlier than the typical opening time of 1 p.m.

Unless registrations take a sharp increase, Northland Pool will not open this season. Haines typically has triple the attendance of Northland. Pool registration is currently at about one-third of the normal numbers, so it does not make financial sense to open both pools, although Northland is ready to open if needed, according to Jennifer Walker, director of Senior, Youth, and Leisure Services. She briefed the Township Council on the status of pools opening at the Monday, June 15, meeting.

This past Sunday, June 14, was Flag Day, commemorating the adoption of the “Stars and Stripes” as the flag of the United States of America on June 14, 1777.

For this week’s and last week’s edition, the Tribune asked veterans and residents to briefly reflect on what the flag means to them.

Walter Joyce

The American flag, to me, represents the greatest country in the world. It is historical symbolism, with the 13 red and white stripes representing the 13 original states, and the 50 stars representing the 50 individual states that, collectively, are united under God, to provide liberty and justice for all its citizens.

As a Boy Scout, I learned how to properly respect our American flag, and how it represents the sacrifices of many men and women who fought in battles to protect us and maintain our freedom.

The Class of 2020 will have a single, in-person ceremony with no family present, according to an announcement during the Monday, June 15, virtual Board of Education meeting.

During the livestreamed meeting, Livingston Public Schools superintendent Matthew Block also expressed frustration about the guidelines the district has received from the governor’s office about education matters. He said that information frequently comes late and often changes.

The high school administrative team has been looking at scenarios for in-person, virtual, and even carbased graduation ceremonies since it became clear that remote learning would last longer than a few weeks, he said.

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At the Monday, June 15, Livingston Township Council meeting, township manager Barry Lewis briefed the Council on the 2020 budget before members voted to pass it. Also discussed were the openings of camps and pools, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which are all discussed in articles elsewhere in this edition of the Tribune. The meeting was livestreamed on the Livingston Township, NJ Facebook page.

At the start of the meeting, the Council showed a promotional video, encouraging residents to shop and dine locally as businesses begin to reopen. The video may be seen on the Livingston Township, NJ Facebook page at the start of the meeting video.