News

Things are looking no better for the poor and homeless of Essex County as the coronavirus pandemic continues to “grind on,” said Jeff Friedman, founder and director of Livingston Philanthropies Inc. (LPI).
“Too bad I have nothing new to report this week. That’s because it’s all the same – or worse,” Friedman noted. “I wish I could say that the homeless and profoundly poor are doing much better, but they’re not. It seems that some businesses and organizations are attempting to open, but unfortunately, that doesn’t change things a bit for the folks living below the poverty line just a few miles away from Livingston.”
He explained that food pantry lines are much longer than usual, with so many individuals having lost their jobs or having been temporarily furloughed without pay.

Editor’s Note: The following was written by Dr. Hyman Fisher of Livingston, a veteran of World War II. It had originally been intended High School, were award Ribbon at LHS, and added at Riker Hill, Collins, and We also stopped outso bought our own school b has saved the taxpayers (Continued on Pag as his speech during the Memorial Day celebration. With the veterans’ ceremony and parade cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Tribune has reproduced his piece here.

As a teenager, I had been following the war in Europe from its start, in September, 1939, with Hitler’s invasion of Poland. When the U.S. entered the war on December 8, 1941, I was a high school senior in Brooklyn. The war didn’t really affect me until I graduated from high school and entered Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in September, 1942, to study chemical engineering.

Updated COVID-19 information on the local cases as well as information on long-term care facilities in Livingston have been released by both the Township and Essex County officials.

As of Wednesday morning, May 20, there were 466 total confirmed COVID-19 cases in Livingston, and 66 deaths.

The township released a detailed report of COVID-19 cases on Tuesday afternoon, May 19.

According to the May 19 report, 296 of the township’s confirmed COVID-19 cases, and 51 of the COVID-19 fatalities, were residents of long term care facilities.

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MOURNING A BROTHER OFFICER: Members of the Livingston Police Department gathered on Thursday, May 14, to attend the funeral of Glen Ridge police officer Charles Edward Roberts III. Officer Roberts was a 1992 graduate of Livingston High School. He died May 11 at the age of 45 of complications related to COVID-19. Funeral services incorporating safety guidelines were held in front of the Glen Ridge town hall, and were livestreamed as well.

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The Township of Livingston has issued a reminder to residents that all township buildings, facilities and fields continue to be closed to the public through the Memorial Day weekend and until further notice due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With the exception of the holiday, however, all departments remain staffed in order to continue providing essential services by phone and email. Non-emergency staff will not be available on Monday, May 25.

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The Livingston Community Partnership, otherwise known as the Livingston Business Improvement District (BID), has partnered with the Township of Livingston to provide grant monies to local businesses negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The grant program is called LuvLiv Local. According to the BID executive director Beth Lippman, it is “dedicated to supporting independently owned Livingston businesses during this unprecedented time, and to help our local businesses devastated by the coronavirus crisis.”

She continued, “Local businesses are an important part of our community’s identity. Whether it is the jobs you create, the uniqueness you add, or the services you provide, you are truly the heartbeat of our community. Our LuvLiv Local Grant Program is another way we are looking to strengthen our community, one business at a time.”

Updated COVID-19 information on the local cases as well as information on long-term care facilities in Livingston have been released by both the Township and Essex County officials.

As of Wednesday morning, May 13, there were 433 total confirmed COVID-19 cases in Livingston, as well as 64 deaths. 51 of the deceased were residents of long-term care facilities.

The total confirmed Livingston cases in long-term care facilities is 278.

The average age of all Livingston COVID-19 patients who have died is 84.94. Breaking this down, the average age of long-term care facilities fatalities is 87.21, and of private residence fatalities, 77.02.

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Mark Stern, principal of Livingston High School, this week outlined plans for graduation ceremonies for the members of the LHS class of 2020. Diplomas will be presented during individual ceremonies at the school June 22, 23, and 24, while a virtual classwide celebration will be held June 25.

Livingston school facilities have been shut down since Friday, March 13, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, governor Phil Murphy, who ordered schools statewide to close Wednesday, March 18, announced New Jersey school buildings would remain closed through the end of the 2019-20 academic year. Livingston’s public schools have been conducting remote learning since being closed.

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At the public hearing on the budget held on Thursday, May 7, the Livingston Board of Education voted unanimously to approve a 2020-21 school year budget of $128,369,023. The meeting was held virtually via Zoom and FaceBook Live.

This budget is $575,000 lower than the tentative budget that the Board adopted on March 18, due to deferral of a proposed parking lot expansion at Hillside School and replacement of strength training equipment at Livingston High School. It is $1.8 million higher than the 2019-20 school year budget, an increase of 1.66 percent. The March 18 budget, which was developed before the coronavirus epidemic, had called for a two percent increase.

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The Livingston Township Council, at its livestreamed meeting on Monday evening, May 11, briefly introduced the 2020 municipal budget, discussed the potential for “pop-up drive-in” movie events, and heard Livingston Health Department updates.

Budget Overview

Township manager Barry Lewis gave a brief overview of the 2020 municipal budget.

This year had been shaping up well, he said, prior to the coronavirus crisis. As a result, the township has a surplus of nearly $7 million.

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