West Essex Tribune

Council members passed a blanket “opt out” to prohibit all classes of cannabis use licenses in town at its Monday, July 12 meeting. The Council also later released a statement containing a list of questions it would like to see answered before reassessing which classes of cannabis it may permit in Livingston. In the statement, the Council said that it was “likely that some licenses will be permitted” once the Council has answers to their questions.

Near-daily rainstorms and frequent, violent thunderstorms have taken their toll on Livingston in the past week. The Livingston Fire Department was busy responding to downed trees and wires, lightning strikes, and flooded basements.

On Tuesday, July 6, firefighters went to 11 West Drive on a report of a tree branch that had fallen into wires. The wires turned out to be telecommunications wires rather than electrical ones. Department of Public Works (DPW) personnel removed the branch.

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DISTRICT 8 CHAMPIONS: The Livingston Little League 9/10 Williamsport baseball team captured the District 8 tournament championship with a 4-0 record, finishing with a 10-0 win over Nutley East. Shown here, the team includes Manu Silva, Tanish Reikhy, Vivaan Gandhi, Praj Kumar, Matty Beeney, Jack Uliano, Manny Bahler, Nick Forgione, Blake Simon, Alan Gholston, Alexander Mujoski, Matthew Gillock, and Liam Zotti. At rear are coaches Greg Bushwell, Dave McLaughlin, and Mike Sorrentino. The team advances to the Sectional Tournament, which will begin in Hackensack on Sunday, July 18.

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Stuart Arnold Blum of Norfolk, Virginia, formerly of Livingston, died July 7 at the age of 62.

He was born to Stanley and Marilyn Blum on November 25, 1958 in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from Livingston High School in 1976.

He was pre-deceased by his wife, Jaime Spiegel-Blum, and his mother, Marilyn Blum.

Mr. Blum is survived by his children, Ian Spiegel-Blum and his wife, Elizabeth, and Noah Spiegel-Blum; his father, Stanley Blum; his brother, Michael Blum and his wife, Benita; his girlfriend, Christina Brennell; and many friends, including his Olive Garden family.

A graveside service was held for him at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk on Tuesday, July 13.

Victor P. Valente, 82, of Hyde Park, New York, formerly of Livingston, died on July 11.

He worked at Newark and La-Guardia Airports for American Airlines, starting in the freight department and eventually retiring as a passenger services supervisor. After retiring, he and his late wife, Victoria, moved to Hyde Park to help their daughter with her business.

Valente was born in Newark, where he attended East Side High School. He lived in Livingston and Naples, Florida, before moving to Hyde Park eight years ago.

Valente was predeceased by his wife, Victoria, and his sister and brother-in-law, Walter and Aurora MacFarlane. He is survived by his daughter, Valerie Valente, and her partner, Eric Miller; his sister, Aida Souza; and four nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be on Thursday, July 15, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Reilly Bonner Funeral Home, 801 D Street in Belmar.

On July 9, 2021, Lisa Chaiken Schwarz of Livingston, beloved wife and mother, passed away at age 68.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Lisa studied pharmacy. On July 27, 1975, Lisa married Mark Schwarz. They moved to Livingston, New Jersey, in 1977, where they raised their cherished children, Alex and Naomi.

Lisa loved to cook, read, crochet, and knit. Most of all, she loved her family. Her quick wit punctuated every conversation, keeping it spirited and welcoming. She will be deeply missed by her friends, family, and all who knew her.

Donations to ALS in her memory to help find a cure for this devastating disease would be most appreciated, www.als.org/donate.

The Schwarz family would like to thank everyone for their tremendous support during this difficult time.

GIANTS BASEBALL TEAM NOTCHES WIN: The Livingston U-17 Giants baseball team defeated the Ramsey Eagles, 6-1, at home at Livingston’s Brendan Tevlin Field. Shown above, Giant Aidan Cochran, #5, singles to left field against Ramsey pitcher Ryan Paul. Eagles catcher Tom Gander and Home plate umpire David Liguori follow the ball’s progress. At right, Livingston pitcher Alphonso Lombardi delivers a curve ball against the Eagles. Don Schwartz Photos

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Last week, a concerned resident brought a piece of an old, rusted gas pipe into the Tribune office. The man said that pipe, which was full of holes, had been pulled from the ground outside of his home after he reported smelling an odor of gas on his street. The pipe, he said, was “repaired” by PSE&G officials by inserting a rubber cylinder inside the existing rusted pipe. It was a solution that offered a temporary fix without addressing the additional piping issues of his neighbors, nor a long-term solution to the overarching problem.

This type of infrastructure issue has become all too common. It is definitely not a problem unique to Livingston; we are dealing with this on a county, state, and national level, as well. But it is certainly affecting this town.

By Jeff Friedman
Editor’s Note: This week, Livingston Philanthropies director and founder Jeff Friedman recounts, in his own words, his Livingston-based charity’s work with procuring frozen chickens for a Newark agency.
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Purchasing frozen whole chickens was a learning-moment for Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI) founder and director, long-time Livingston resident Jeff Friedman. “Chickens are nothing like coats,” he commented. LPI collected some 2,100 warm coats each year prior to the pandemic, providing warmth for homeless and hopelessly poor communities. Quickly re-inventing as needs expanded in communities living below the poverty line due to the pandemic, LPI moved into food, stocking Newark food pantries and family food giveaway events, all purchased with Livingston’s kind contributions.

Livingston’s Fourth of July celebration returned to the Oval this past Sunday, beginning with a patriotic service at the Haines pool, above. The day was filled with events, including the annual “Swim Karnival,” car show, live music, miniature golf, a reading of the Declaration of Independence, and much more. There were also crafts and activities for children, food trucks, and a beer garden and musical entertainment in the afternoon. Additional photos may be seen on page B-6.

Don Schwartz and MI Photos

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