News

Livingston Philanthropies continues to issue a special appeal for warm men’s socks. “It’s not difficult to explain the importance of good socks during this unusually frigid period,” explained Philanthropies founder and director Jeff “The Coat Guy” Friedman. “The truth is, socks are ideal for our successful ‘Personal Shopping for the Homeless’ initiative. Sales are everywhere, so it’s easy to pick up a package or two of regular size (10 to 13) men’s socks while out shopping. They work for women, too. Extra-Large sizes are extra appreciated by those who are out on the freezing streets, while many of us, frankly, relax in our warm Livingston homes. ‘If you see something, buy something,’ is what we say here at the Philanthropies.”

The West Essex Tribune will welcome its new editor, Michael Izzo, on January 22. Izzo will be only the fifth editor of Livingston's community newspaper since Bill Klaber purchased the paper in 1938.

Klaber was followed by E. Christopher "Kit" Cone, Nancy Dinar, and Michelle Bent. Bent recently accepted a position with the Livingston Board of Education as community outreach director.

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The Livingston Township Council unanimously elected Edward Meinhardt as mayor, and Alfred Anthony as deputy mayor, on Monday, January 1, 2018 at its annual organizational meeting, which was held at the Senior/ Community Center.

Governor-elect Phil Murphy administered the oaths of office, for the second consecutive year. The official swearing-in was conducted by township clerk Glenn Turtletaub prior to the public meeting.

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Avyana Dhar-Verma, born January 1, is Livingston’s First Baby of 2018 and the winner of the Tribune’s annual First Baby Contest.

The little girl was born at Saint Barnabas Medical Center to Swati Dhar and her husband, Pankaj Verma, of 62 Lee Road. She weighed seven pounds, 13 ounces at birth.

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After holding its annual reorganization meeting on Tuesday evening, the Livingston Planning Board discussed the mural on the side of the Porto Restaurant, approved an amendment to an application by Livingston Car Wash, and heard plans for a proposed townhouse development at the site of the former Nettie Ochs Cider Mill.

Peter Klein and Richard Dinar were unanimously re-elected as chairman and vice chairman of the board, respectively. In addition, appointments to various committees and an annual meeting calendar were approved.

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“You have to take care of your feet,” the homeless gentleman told Jeff Friedman, founder of Livingston Philanthropies and known as “the Coat Guy.”
“If your feet go when you’re out on the street, you’re done.” Friedman noted that the statement made sense but that he had never thought of it in those terms. As a result, Livingston Philanthropies recently purchased 70 pairs of warm men’s socks with a gift card donated by Livingston Kiwanis. Friedman reported that the 70 pairs of socks went fast at the soup kitchen line at St. John’s Soup Kitchen and Women’s Center in Newark. “I now realize that we need hundreds more to continue servicing as many freezing people as possible.”

CAR INTO POLE: Laura Rolnik, 58, of West Orange was traveling east on East Northfield Road when, according to the police report, she attempted to change lanes and lost control of her vehicle near the intersection of Chestnut Street. Her car ran off the roadway and struck two telephone poles, taking one down.

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Sophia Levitt of Livingston wanted to educate and raise money to support the work of Spectrum360, a local non-profit organization and school that serves children with autism, for her bat mitzvah project. Sophia, along with her parents, Dan and Dana Levitt of Livingston, are members of Temple Shari Tefilo Israel in South Orange. Her idea for the tournament as her bat mitzvah project was inspired by a Mitzvah Fair the previous year. Plus, says her father, “She knows several children with autism and is very interested in learning how to help others with mental and physical disabilities.”

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There has been talk throughout the township this week about the possibility of residents pre-paying 2018 property taxes in response to the new tax bill, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, that was passed by Congress on December 20. Mayor Shawn Klein noted that while pre-paying has been recommended by state and local officials, he cautions residents to consult with their accountants before taking any action.

The new bill caps the amount of state and local taxes that homeowners can deduct on their federal income tax returns. This is particularly concerning for New Jersey residents, who have the highest property taxes in the country.

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This week, Livingston police offi cials reported three motor vehicle incidents that police department officials believe may be related.

On Friday evening, December 22, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Livingston police received a 9-1-1 call from an off-duty Newark police detective who had identifi ed a motor vehicle that had been reported stolen from Maplewood.

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