Livingston firms expand while former coach faces assault charges

A.Y. Strauss LLC, a full-service law firm with offices in Livingston, Hackensack, and New York City, announced on August 26 that Penny Paul has joined the organization. Paul takes on the role of Director of Marketing and Business Development for the fast-growing firm.

In this new position, Paul is tasked with leading the firm's brand strategy and business development program while managing its client-facing presence. She will partner directly with attorneys to support these initiatives across the district's offices.

Local Business Growth Continues

CoreWeave, a Livingston-based company, has signed a multiyear agreement with Hudson River Trading to provide AI cloud infrastructure. The deal supports the quantitative trading firm's next-generation research platform using purpose-built technology.

Hudson River Trading will utilize CoreWeave's platform, which includes NVIDIA Vera Rubin technology and Spectrum-X Ethernet networking. This infrastructure is designed to support AI-driven trading research and model development at scale for the partner firm.

The Kislak Company Inc. of Woodbridge announced on August 14 the sale of the Livingston Shopping Center located in New Brunswick. The transaction involved a 38,813-square-foot neighborhood retail center situated at 20 Elizabeth Street.

Kislak marketed the property exclusively and sold it for $9.3 million to JLS Professional LLC. Executive Vice President Barry Waisbrod handled the assignment on behalf of the seller during the recent real estate transaction.

Serious Charges Against Former Coach

Prosecutors have charged Kane, a former wrestling coach at Newark Academy, with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old victim. The incident reportedly took place in a hospital parking lot according to official statements from the prosecutor's office.

Kane is a resident of Sussex County but has established links to several programs within Livingston and the Caldwells. His involvement extends to the Livingston Youth Wrestling Program and the West Essex Regional School District.

The suspect was also previously involved with the Township of Livingston and The Work Family Connection, an after-school program serving multiple counties including Morris, Warren, Union, Somerset, and Hunterdon. These connections highlight the breadth of his past activities in the region.

Community Safety and Scam Alerts

Residents of Livingston have been issued a warning regarding scam emails circulating in the area. Officials state that these messages are not the township's doing and likely represent an effort to scam or attack residents and their assets.

The warning advises locals on what to avoid clicking in these suspicious communications to protect their personal information. This alert comes as the community navigates various safety concerns alongside the ongoing legal proceedings involving the former coach.

School Rankings and Academic News

Recent data from U.S. News & World Report shows Science Park High School in Newark has risen to No. 16 in New Jersey, surpassing several affluent suburban districts. This ranking places Newark Public Schools ahead of Livingston High School, which is ranked No. 25 in the state.

The national ranking for Livingston High School stands at No. 411, while Science Park has reached No. 312 nationally. The evaluation factors include college readiness, state assessment proficiency, and graduation rates among other metrics.

Other nearby high schools such as Summit Senior High School, Ridge High School, Princeton High School, and Chatham High School also appear in the rankings below Science Park. These results indicate a shift in how public high schools across the district are being evaluated nationally.

As the first day of school nears, families in Livingston are reviewing dates for the last day of school as well as spring and winter breaks. The community remains focused on both academic performance and the safety of students in local programs.