News

For the past 91 years, the West Essex Tribune has been an essential part of the fabric of Livingston. From the days when Route 10 was a dirt road taking Livingston farmers to the stores and offices in Newark, the Tribune has brought readers all of the community news: news about township meetings, local history, school sports, politics, how to get help, and how to help those in need. And now, though much of the news is about the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, which affects everyone in our community, we continue to keep you informed.

For those 91 years the Tribune has been a trusted venue for local businesses to advertise their goods and services to our readers, and for non-profit and community organizations to spread the word of their activities.

Since the Livingston Health Department announced the first two cases of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, in residents in the township on Wednesday, March 18, the figure had risen to 36 in one week’s time. In Essex County at that time, Wednesday morning, March 25, there were 437 confirmed cases. Based on the last update before press time, from Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday afternoon, there were 3,675 confirmed cases and a total of 44 deaths statewide. Nationally, there were at least 59,502 cases and 804 deaths as of Wednesday morning, and globally, there are more than 435,000 cases and at least 19,625 deaths.

Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI), the Livingston-based charity that runs a seasonal coat drive and a year-round collection of toiletry items for the poor, has shifted its focus during the coronavirus pandemic.
“LPI has re-invented itself during the current crisis.,” said founder and director Jeff Friedman. “Rather than volunteers personally delivering items to Essex County’s homeless and profoundly poor, we are now ordering cases of food items, in bulk, for direct delivery to our distribution associates.”
Some agencies, Friedman explained, have reached-out to LPI because they are running out of food in their pantries. “All types of food items are needed, more than ever now,” said Friedman. “LPI is reaching out to Livingston’s civic organizations, families, and individuals for emergency funding to help feed those living below the poverty line.”

The Livingston Police Department held an anti-bullying poster contest as part of the Livingston Committee for Diversity and Inclusion’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. Winners of the contest, shown here holding their posters, including Izzy Muser, Lydia Ebinger and Catherine Ileya. Behind them are Officer Ralph Kolbusz; Billy Fine, chairman of the Livingston Committee for Diversity and Inclusion; Police Chief Gary Marshuetz; Township Council member Michael Vieira; and Officer Joy Klapal. The contest winners also included Violet Holtz.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition http://www.etypeservices.com/West%20Essex%20TribuneID480/

Livingston Township manager Barry Lewis, in consultation with mayor Rudy Fernandez, the Livingston Township Council, and the Livingston Health Department, has announced that all Township of Livingston offices and facilities are closed to the public, effective immediately, through 8:30 a.m. on Monday, March 30, subject to further extension as circumstance dictate.

Essential Services Provided

Township departments will remain staffed to ensure the continued delivery of essential services. Staff members will remain available through phone and email, although there may be a delay in response due to staffing and schedule modifications.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition http://www.etypeservices.com/West%20Essex%20TribuneID480/

Two Livingston residents have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, according to mayor Rudy Fernandez. No additional details were immediately available as of press time Wednesday.

A press release with more information was issued after the Tribune went to print on Wednesday afternoon. It will be available in full on the West Essex Tribune Facebook page as soon as it is sent, and in next week’s edition of the paper.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition http://www.etypeservices.com/West%20Essex%20TribuneID480/

This article is up-to-date as of Wednesday morning before the Tribune went to print. Given the everchanging nature of this outbreak, and the response to it, some information may evolve quickly.

In an effort to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, officials are taking drastic steps to flatten the curve of the outbreak.

Livingston Public Schools will be closed for at least two weeks. The closure began on Monday, March 16, and will extend through Friday, March 27. All extracurricular, athletic, and social activities are also cancelled, including last week’s Shrek the Musical play at Livingston High School, and the Heritage Middle School parent orientation program. At the time of the announced closure, there were still no known cases of coronavirus in Livingston, however, on Wednesday, the first two cases in the township were announced.

For almost nine years, Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI) has directly delivered donated coats, family clothing, diapers, toiletries, socks, gloves and more to the homeless and those living below the poverty line. Now, LPI is re-inventing itself, as physical donations and on-site deliveries are on hold during the coronavirus outbreak.

Noted LPI founder and director Jeff Friedman, “LPI will ship bulk cases of new items directly from wholesale vendors to our eight Newark and East Orange distribution associates. We are soliciting immediate funding to make it happen. To personally help the homeless and profoundly poor, especially now, you can do it conveniently on Paypal at paypal. me/lpinj; on our Facebook funding page at Livingston Philanthropies, Inc.; or by mail to LPI, P.O. Box 247, Livingston, NJ 07039. Tax-deductible individual and family contributions make all the difference.”

A teenager was hospitalized on Tuesday, March 17, following a collision while he was driving his motorcycle, Livingston Police said. At 3:45 p.m., Jordan Steinberg, 19, of Livingston was operating a Honda motorcycle travelling west on West Northfield Road in the left lane. A 2017 Acura RDX operated by a 17-year-old male from Livingston made a left turn from Crescent Road onto West Northfield Road into the path of the motorcycle. The motorcycle then struck the passenger side of the Acura. Steinberg complained of pain and was transported to Morristown Medical Center. The driver of the Acura, unidentified because he is a minor, received a summons for careless driving. CS Photo

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition http://www.etypeservices.com/West%20Essex%20TribuneID480/

Welcome, readers, to your weekly coronavirus update.

We don’t need to tell you what’s happening right now, however, it’s our job to do so, so bear with us for a brief recap. As of Wednesday, there were two confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, and the disease it causes, COVID-19, in Livingston. Additionally, there were more than 200,000 reported global cases and more than 8,000 deaths related to the virus. At that time, the United States cases approached 6,500, including 108 deaths. In New Jersey, we have 427 positive cases, and five deaths, as of 2 p.m. on Wednesday. All U.S. numbers are likely much higher, as we are testing the smallest percentage of our population of any developed nation. On Monday, as President Trump suggested the U.S. outbreak could extend late into the summer, the federal government said Americans should avoid groups larger than 10 people.