News

Melvin A. Sher, a former longtime Livingston resident who was active in the township, was lauded at a 100th birthday party on Sunday, October 29, at the Livingston Senior/ Community Center.

Sher, who currently lives in Fair Lawn, was born on October 29, 1923, and graduated from Weequahic High School, Newark, in January of 1942. While he and his wife, Estelle, lived in Livingston, they were active volunteers with Meals on Wheels and Saint Barnabas Medical Center. Sher also did volunteer work for the Special Olympics and drove for the Livingston Senior Transportation. He was a member of the Livingston Veterans of F oreign Wars and J ewish War Veterans Posts; the Livingston Chapter of AARP (American Association of Retired People); and Livingston’s Sanford M. Schor Lodge of the Knights of Pythias.

Served in Italy During WWII

During the period prior to theNovember 7 election, the West Essex Tribune will make space available to both of the Board of Education candidates, at no cost, in order for them to present their views to the public. It is our hope that this will allow the voters to make a direct comparison which will assist them in making an informed voting decision. The Tribune will not, however, accept “Letters to the Editor” from the candidates during that portion of the campaign. Nor will the Tribune publish letters of endorsement or opposition for any candidate, though we may choose to publish, in the issues before the election, excerpts from letters of endorsement received during the campaign.

Two candidates - Fang Gong and Harsh Raju - are running for one open seat on the Board.

Candidates are not obligated to answer the questions, or even to present any statement at all. Amaximum of300 words is allocated to each candidate each week.

FAWN DRIVE CRASH: At 2:17 p.m. on Monday, October 23, Livingston police officers responded to Fawn Drive, on a report of a vehicle hitting a utility pole. Upon arrival, officers located a 2020 Honda CR-V that had crashed into a utility pole, with the pole laying on top of the vehicle. The occupants of the vehicle, operated by a 49 year old East Orange woman, refused medical attention at the scene. The Livingston Traffic Bureau is investigating the crash. 

REST IN PEACE: The Livingston Fire Department’s headquarters building on South Livingston Avenue is decorated in memorial bunting, in honor of Frank Leck. Leck, who served the LFD for over 60 years, was the second longest active firefighter in the department’s history. Leck died last week at the age of 81. 

The Livingston Zoning Board, at its Tuesday, October 24 meeting, revisited the applications of David Wilner at 25 Marisa Court and Abhishek Gangwal at 6 Hazelwood Avenue, eventually approving the former and delaying a vote on the latter. The Board also approved two other cases, delayed voting on another, and dismissed a fourth due to the applicant’s failure to appear.

Extend Redwood Road Variance

Xiangyu Wen sought a one-year extension of a previously approved variance and resolution memorialized on September 29, 2022. Wen explained that he wished to extend the existing resolution by another year so he could acquire the money and materials necessary for construction. He answered the Board that he would be able to start construction in the near future, and the Board approved Wen’s request.

Irving Avenue Plan Dismissed

Two different attemptedhome burglaries were reported to Livingston Police in the past week. Additionally, packages were stolen from several Livingston homes.

Stratford Drive

At 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, October 18, officers responded to a Stratford Drive home on a report of an attempted burglary to the residence the prior night. Officers arrived and met with the homeowner, who said that they awoke to find the gate opened to their rear yard.

This prompted them to check their surveillance video from the overnight hours and they viewed several suspects attempting to gain entry to the residence. The suspects were unsuccessful andfledthe scene.

It is believed the suspects were attempting to steal the homeowner’s vehicle. The Livingston Detective Bureau is investigating the matter.

Chelsea Drive

The Livingston Planning Board, at its October 17 meeting, continued hearing 39W.NorthfieldAssociates, LLC’s site plan for a new two-story medical office building at 39 West Northfield Road.

This case was first presented at the Board’s September 5 meeting. Six variances were proposed, including a parking lot expansion, landscaping, lighting, and signage.

At the previous meeting, Brian Natale of Summit Health Management, LLC, and engineer Michael Lanzafama discussed the organization’s need to open a new building, due to other Livingston-based facilities being at full capacity; and the building’s layout.

The building wouldhouse 55 staff members and be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Sunday hours, although unannounced, would reportedly resemble Saturday hours.

Livingston High School senior Chloe Marrache has earned a perfect score on a college-level Advanced Placement (AP) Exam in spring of 2022. She was one of only 357 students in the world to earn every point possible on the AP Research Exam, amounting to just 1.26 percent of 2023 AP Research Exam takers.

Thousands participated in a march for solidarity with Israel on Sunday, October 15, organized by the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ and the Metrowest Israel Action Committee. The march began at Suburban Torah on WestMt. Pleasant Avenue, before culminating with a rally at the Oval. Organizers estimated that a crowd of 5,000 people attended the event.

Speakers included Rabbi Simeon Cohen of Temple Beth Shalom, president of the Livingston Clergy Association; Dov Ben Shimon, executive vice president of Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ; Moshe Glick, an organizer of the event; andMayor Michael Vieira.

During the Monday, October 16, Livingston Township Council meeting, a resolution was unanimously passed announcing a settlement agreement with former township manager Michele Meade, who had claimed that she was fired due to her gender. Agreedupon in the settlement is a $ 1 million payment to Meade, made by the township through its insurance administrators.

Council member Rosy Bagolie and Mayor Michael Vieira both reported themselves “present, not voting” on the resolution, because the matter occurred prior to when they joined the Council. The other three Council members all voted infavorofpassing the resolution.

The resolution reads, in part, “In an effort to avoid any further litigation costs and to resolve the issues between the parties, the parties have agreed to settle all claims and the Township Council has determined it to be in the best interest of the township to enter into a settlement agreement.”