County of Union, New Jersey

The Union County Board of County Commissioners with funding from Union County and the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority have been supporting a study aimed at preparing for an increase in electric vehicle (EV) ownership in the County over the next 10 years. The Public Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 6:30 PM by Zoom to answer questions and get feedback on the results to date.

“To combat rising carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutions brought on by transportation, the County of Union is looking for more charging stations to be installed, especially since the use of electric vehicles are on the rise,” said Commissioner Chairman Sergio Granados. “We want our residents to be able to find somewhere to charge their vehicles locally with ease, so I am looking forward to seeing the results of this study.”

The project page can be found at www.ucnj.org/ev-study, which holds a lot of information on the project and includes more on the subsidizes available to purchase EVs and funding sources for the installation of EV chargers. The growth in EV ownership is anticipated to lead to an increased demand for convenient EV charging sites throughout New Jersey.

In addition to meeting overall demand for convenient EV charging sites, the study aims to place the County in position to have the needed infrastructure with respect to traditionally underserved communities. The study will attempt to address the challenge of sufficient charging equipment locations for residents renting in multifamily residences and larger developments.

New Jersey has set a goal for December 2025 to have 330,000 registered passenger EVs and at least 400 public fast chargers throughout the state. The chargers are to be distributed to no fewer than 200 locations.

There are currently three different EV charging options, depending on the driver’s needs. Drivers who charge their EVs at home can use a Level 1 Charger. These take several hours to fully recharge a battery, but they are relatively inexpensive and can be run on an ordinary household outlet.

The faster Level 2 Chargers are more appropriate for public use. Level 2 Chargers require a heavy-duty outlet, of the type used by refrigerators and other large appliances. The fastest charger currently available is the Level 3, also called Direct Current Fast Charge. This is a purpose-built power source, which cannot be supported by the electrical system of a home.

This Union County study will focus on Level 2 and Level 3 DCFC chargers, which would be publicly accessible. For more information, please contact Project Manager Liza Betz, AICP PP, at ebetz@ucnj.org.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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The fire danger rating is now at VERY HIGH for all of New Jersey,  The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has imposed Stage 2 campfire restrictions, which include the following.

• All fires within or adjacent to forested areas are prohibited unless in an elevated prepared fireplace, elevated charcoal grill or stove using electricity or a liquid or gas fuel.
• An elevated prepared fireplace must be constructed of steel, stone, brick or concrete with its fire box elevated at least one foot above the ground surface and surrounded by at least a ten feet radius clearance to mineral soil.
• An elevated charcoal grill may be stationary or portable and surrounded by at least a ten feet radius clearance to mineral soil.
• At the Scout Camping Area in the Watchung Reservation, permit holders may use the group charcoal grill in each campsite, but not the fire rings on the ground.  They may use the stone fire altars in the Council Ring.
• At the Amphitheater behind the former Trailside Planetarium, permit holders may have a campfire on the raised fire altar.
• In picnic areas, park users can use our permanent metal charcoal grills or they may use their own if they have metal legs to elevate them at least a foot off of the ground.
  • They may also use propane or liquid gas fueled stoves that are elevated. 
  • Park users may not use stone or masonry fireplaces that are built at ground level, such as at Seeley’s Pond or the David Wright gazebo at Osceola (Winfield Park).

The Union County Board of County Commissioners invites residents to enjoy a multi-media show by award-winning author and photographer Marty Essen in celebration of Earth Day 2023. Titled “Around the World in 90 Minutes,” the show features Essen’s high energy and trademark humor along with his favorite photographs from traveling the world for first book, Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents.

The event takes place this Saturday, April 15, at 1:30 p.m. at Union County’s Trailside Nature and Science Center, at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside. Pre-registration is required. To register, follow the link in the “Welcome” section at ucnj.org/trailside.

“The theme for Earth Day 2023 is ‘Invest in Our Planet,’ and we are very proud to welcome Marty Essen to celebrate Earth Day at Trailside,” said Union County Commissioner Chairman Sergio Granados. “Trailside began as a volunteer-led exhibit in a garage back in the 1940’s. Since then it has grown into a showcase for environmental education and activities for all ages. Trailside reaches thousands of Union County residents and visitors every year with messages to share about protecting our natural heritage here at home and around the world.”

Marty Essen has presented Around the World in 90 Minutesat colleges, museums, and nature centers across the United States. Charging elephants, howling wolves, deadly snakes, friendly penguins, swimming with piranhas, kayaking in the rainforest, rafting with humpback whales and surviving a hippo attack in Zimbabwe are just some of the highlights.

Marty Essen is an Amazon #1 best-selling author with multiple literary awards to his credit. He is the author of four science fiction novels and three nonfiction books. He will be signing books after the Trailside program.

For more information about Trailside, visit ucnj.org/trailside or call 908-789-3670.

A modest fee applies to special programs at Trailside. The fee for Around the World in 90 Minutes is $5.00 for Union County residents and $6.00 for non-county residents.

The Trailside exhibits are open daily free of charge on a walk-in basis daily except Mondays and holidays.

More information about all activities in Union County parks is available at ucnj.org/parks or call 908-527-4900.

For quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities, visit the Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connection.

For information and updates on Union County COVID-19 services visit ucnj.org/covid19.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

Connect with Union County on social media.

The Union County Board of County Commissioners informs residents of the updated schedules for COVID-19 testing clinics run by the County.

“We continue to work to ensure that our residents have the resources they need to protect themselves against the COVID-19 virus, including access COVID-19 tests, vaccines and booster shots,” said Union County Commissioner Board Chairman Sergio Granados. “And, we continue to urge everyone to get vaccinated and boosted as the best protection against serious illness.”

The following testing clinic closure will take place in May:

The Union County COVID-19 testing clinic at the Warinanco Sports Center will be closed effective May 19. The last day of operations will be May 18. 

The following COVID-19 testing schedule will be effective in June:

Testing is available on Mondays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Union County EMS Building, 545 Laurel Ave in Roselle Park.

Testing is available on Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Plainfield Performing Arts Center, 724 Park Ave in Plainfield.

After June 30, Union County brick-and-mortar clinics will not conduct COVID-19 testing. The County’s mobile COVID-19 program will continue to offer at-home test kits when visiting various locations throughout Union County, while supplies last. A schedule of visits for the mobile program is posted at ucnj.org/covid19.

For information and updates on all Union County COVID-19 services visit ucnj.org/covid19.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

Connect with Union County on social media.

In recognition of Arbor Day 2023, the Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to announce the winners of the annual Union County Arbor Day Poetry Contest. The contest is held each year to encourage environmental stewardship and tree conservation among students in grades 4-8, in partnership with the Union County Shade Tree Advisory Board.

“Helping to raise awareness about the role of trees in our environment is a valuable civic service for students, and the Poetry Contest is a wonderful opportunity to practice writing and communicating in a public setting. We congratulate our awardees, who demonstrated exemplary skill and writing ability to earn their winning honors, and we also appreciate the efforts of every student who submitted a poem and shared their creative insights with the community,” said Commissioner Chairman Sergio Granados.

“Each year we look forward to hearing the voices of the young people in our community in the Poetry Contest. They teach us to appreciate our natural heritage, and they encourage us to do our best to preserve and protect the environment that sustains us. Congratulations to all the winners for your beautiful poems,” said Commissioner Lourdes Leon, the Commissioner Board Liaison to the Shade Tree Advisory Board.

An awards ceremony and public presentation for the winners will be held during a regular public meeting of the Commissioner Board on Thursday, April 27.

The awards were conferred on the first, second, and third place winners in each grade:

4^th Grade

1^st Place – Alyssa DeMarco, Henley School, Clark

2^nd Place – Amaya Gonzalez, Mountain Park Elem. School, Berkeley Heights

3^rd Place – Max Keat, Lincoln School, Garwood

5^th Grade

1^st Place – Anna Morozovych, Mountain Park Elem. School, Berkeley Heights

2^nd Place – Tania Alvarado-Valverde, Lincoln School, Garwood

3^rd Place – Julia Ruiz, Mountain Park Elem. School, Berkeley Heights

6^th Grade

1^st Place – Karl Asuncion, Terrill Middle School, Scotch Plains

2^nd Place – Sloane Bienkowski, Lincoln School, Garwood

3^rd Place – Pravens Dauphin, Ola Edwards Community School, Hillside

7^th Grade

1^st Place – Madelynn Knierim, Lincoln School, Garwood

2^nd Place – Julia Pappalardo, Terrill Middle School, Scotch Plains

3^rd Place – Athena Bishop, Terill Middle School, Scotch Plains

8^th Grade

1^st Place -Luke Esmerado, Columbia Middle School, Berkeley Heights

2^nd Place – Courtney Kilmer, Lincoln School, Garwood

3^rd Place – Valerie Cespedes, Kawameeh Middle School, Union

Arbor Day has been a national observance since 1872, encouraging the public to plant and care for trees. This year it will be celebrated on Friday, April 28.

For more information about the Arbor Day Poetry Contest contact Madeline Brigantino at mbrigantino@ucnj.org or 908-789-3653.

Quick links to all Union County environmental activities and programs are available at The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connection.

For information and updates on Union County COVID-19 services visit ucnj.org/covid19.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

Connect with Union County on social media.

The Union County Board of County Commissioners informs residents of the updated schedules for COVID-19 vaccination clinics run by the County.

“We are expanding our mobile vaccination program to help ensure that unsheltered persons and other vulnerable residents can access the resources they need to protect themselves. The COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots save lives, and they lower the risk of serious, long term illness,” said Union County Commissioner Board Chairman Sergio Granados.

Effective May 19, the Union County COVID-19 clinic at the Warinanco Sports Center will be closed. The last day of operation will be May 18. 

Union County will continue to provide vaccinations at Plainfield High School at 950 Park Avenue in Plainfield, on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The mobile vaccination program will also continue to visit various locations in Union County, including a partnership with Union County’s Fresh Start mobile personal hygiene and resource program for those in need. A schedule of locations is available on the Union County website at ucnj.org/covid19.

For information and updates on all Union County COVID-19 services visit ucnj.org/covid19.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

Connect with Union County on social media.

April 2023 is Second Chance Month and the Union County Board of County Commissioners with the American Job Center, would like to announce a free Expungement Clinic and Job Fair on Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at the Warinanco Sports Center in Warinanco Park, located at 1 Park Drive in Roselle.

“The entire expungement process can be overwhelming and there is a lot that goes into removing a conviction, so as part of my Second Chance initiative, through my Chairman’s “Building a Stronger Union County” initiatives for 2023, for the first time ever, we are hosting this expungement clinic to help our residents looking for clean slate,” said Commissioner Chairman Sergio Granados. “Too often, even minor convictions can prevent someone from getting hired, obtaining a loan or finding somewhere to live and this event is designed to help those who want a fresh start, learn the different resources out there to help transition them back into the community. I firmly believe in second chances and I am looking forward to attending this event and us helping individuals across our County with not only expungements, but also employment opportunities.”

The event will have volunteer attorneys on site to meet with individuals to obtain free expungement. Employers will be present who are willing to hire second chance individuals. Various positions are available with employers, such as: PepsiCo, NJ Transit, Amazon, Wakefern, ShopRite, FedEx, Newark Airport and the Port Authority of NJ & NY. VET4U will assist with discharge upgrades.

While the event is free, pre-registration is required at www.ucnj.org/job-fair. Walk-ins are welcome, but all attendees must register on site prior to entering the event.

For more information or to register for this expungement and job fair, please visit www.ucnj.org/job-fair or call Carolina Marin at 908-380-6237.