County of Union, New Jersey

Union County, NJ — Residents are advised that conditions are still hazardous and travel is limited in parts of Union County following Hurricane Ida.

Residents needing assistance with shelter, food and other resources can call the Union County Department of Human Services Action Line at (888) 845-3434 or (908) 558-2288.

The Action Line is open for extended hours today, Thursday September 2, until 6:00 p.m. Regular hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. will resume on Friday, September 3.

“Please don’t be fooled by today’s good weather. Emergency workers are still engaged in recovery operations from yesterday’s destructive storm. We ask everyone to help out by keeping the roads clear, and keeping an eye out for hazardous conditions,” said Commissioner Board Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

Flooding in Parks: Flooding and damaged equipment has created hazards in many County parks and other public spaces. Residents are asked not to visit parks today and avoid all other unnecessary travel.



Falling Trees: Trees in parks, along streets and in yards may continue to fall throughout the day, even without windy conditions, as over-saturated ground loosens around their roots.

Union County facilities and programs impacted by the storm — status on Thursday, September 2:

The Union County Administration Building at 10 Elizabethtown Plaza is closed.



The Union County Courts are closed. Virtual operations will not be conducted.



The Union County Clerk’s office in Elizabeth is closed. The Westfield office is open.



The Union County Surrogate’s office in Elizabeth is closed.



Meals on Wheels will not be delivered.



Recycling: Today’s scrap metal drop-off program has been cancelled at both the Cranford and Rahway locations. The next scheduled drop-off date is Saturday, September 18.



The Trailside Nature & Science Center is closed.



Watchung Stable is closed to visitors. Staff is on site caring for horses.


 

COVID-19 Tests and Vaccinations


The Union County COVID-19 Call Center is not taking calls today.



The Union County COVID-19 Test Center at Kean University is closed. (appointments have been rescheduled). 



Today’s COVID-19 vaccination and testing event has been rescheduled to Wednesday, September 8th; 3pm to 5pm in Union Township.


Visit ucnj.org/vax for location details, and for information on all of Union County’s upcoming vaccination and testing events. 


Visit ucnj.org for all other information and updates.

Need Assistance?

• Residents needing assistance with shelter, food and other resources can call the Union County Department of Human Services Action Line at 888-845-3434 or 908-558-2288.
• Regular hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. will resume on Friday, September 3.

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County Administration Building at 10 Elizabethtown Plaza

• Resuming normal operations on Friday.

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County Clerk’s Operations

• Resuming normal operations on Friday.

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Surrogate Operations

• Resuming normal operations on Friday.

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Vaccination and Testing Operations:

• Covid-19 testing at Kean –  Due to inclement weather and flooding on the Kean University Campus, Union County Covid-19 testing for September 2, 2021 will be postponed until Friday, September 3, 2021 between the hours of 8am – 12pm.
• Mobile Vax operation updates below
• Any vaccination appointments for the Dunns Center that were scheduled for Thursday will be moved to next week.

Wednesday, September 1st  – Hillside
Postponed to Saturday, September 4th; Noon to 2pm
Held during “Success Is In The Bag” Back to school Giveaway – First Baptist Church
166 Hillside Avenue
Rain date –  Saturday, September 4th Noon to 2pm
Pfizer / J & J Vaccines offered; Covid testing available

Thursday, September 2nd –   Elizabeth
Postponed to Thursday, September 9th; 3pm to 5pm
Make the Road NJ
42 Broad Street
Pfizer / J & J Vaccines offered; Covid testing available

Thursday, September 2nd  – Union
Postponed to Wednesday, September 8th; 3pm to 5pm
Union (Back to School) Rabkin Park
1 Swanstrom Place E
Pfizer / J & J Vaccines offered; Covid testing available

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Recycling Events and Programs

• The scrap metal drop-off program for Thursday, September 2 has been cancelled at both the Cranford and Rahway locations.
• The next scheduled drop-off date is Saturday, September 18.

The remnants of Hurricane Ida are passing through Union County. Please be on the alert for flooded areas, and avoid unnecessary travel tonight.

Visit ucnj.org to see information on Union County programs cancelled or rescheduled due to the storm.

Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of County Commissioners is providing drop-off locations for residents who wish to donate clothing, toiletries, and other items to Afghan interpreters, their families, and other refugees evacuated from Afghanistan who are being housed at Fort Dix in New Jersey.

“The refugees are seeking peace and security in America, as so many have done before them. Let’s all help ensure they feel safe and welcome,” said Commissioner Board Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

Items for donation can be brought to the following locations at Union County facilities:

Elizabeth (two locations):

• Union County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza
• Social Service Building, 342 Westminster Avenue

Mountainside:

• Trailside Museum and Science Center, 452 New Providence Road

Plainfield:

• Social Services Building, 200 West 2^nd Street

Scotch Plains:

• Union County Engineering Building, 2325 South Avenue

Westfield:

• Ralph J. Froehlich Public Safety Building, 400 North Avenue East

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Please note that only new items will be accepted for donation. Suggested items include:

Children:

• Diapers
• Clothing
• Formula
• Baby bottles
• Baby wipes
• Soccer balls, blocks and other simple toys
• Shoes
• School supplies – pencils, crayons, notebooks, etc.

Families:

• Bottled water
• Men’s and women’s clothing (scarves and loose-fitting clothes for women)
• Winter coats/jackets/gloves
• Shoes
• Feminine hygiene products
• Wheelchairs, walker, canes
• Towels
• Laundry Detergent
• Toiletries
• Smart phones charging cables
• Grooming kits

When dropping off items, face masks must be worn indoors in accordance with COVID-19 safety rules at Union County facilities.

For additional information on the Union County donation program for Afghan refugees, contact Nathalie Hernandez, Assistant Director, Division of Outreach and Advocacy in the Union County Department of Human Services, at nahernandez@ucnj.org or 908-527-4880.

For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Drive-Through Test Center at Kean University, the Mobile Test Unit walk-up sites, vaccination information, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.

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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.

Free COVID-19 shots and saliva testing to be provided to residents at events in 6 County municipalities

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of County Commissioners informs residents that free COVID-19 vaccines and testing will be available at convenient pop-up clinics throughout the County during the month of September. The upcoming clinics will be held in Rahway, Hillside, Elizabeth, Union Township, Roselle and Scotch Plains.

All residents are strongly urged to get their vaccine as soon as possible as new strains of the virus emerge and spread. Third doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for residents who are immunocompromised will also be available at the upcoming mobile clinics.

In addition to free vaccinations, residents can also get a free COVID-19 saliva test at any of the pop-up clinics. Residents can also get vaccinated for COVID-19 at Union County’s vaccine clinics in Elizabeth, Plainfield, and Union Township.

“We urge unvaccinated residents to make an appointment at any of our vaccination sites as soon as possible and ask that they encourage family and friends to get their shot, too,” said Union County Commissioner Board Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “Immunocompromised residents who are eligible for a third dose should also make an appointment as soon as possible for added protection.”

Union County began offering pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics in local communities earlier this year, in order to reach vulnerable populations including seniors, homeless individuals, and others who would have difficulty traveling to a centralized vaccine site.

“The Board of County Commissioners will continue to provide residents with opportunities for vaccination and testing,” said Commissioner and Chair of the Public Safety Committee Sergio Granados. “Easy access to vaccines and testing remains our focus as vaccination is key to keeping Union County residents safe as we continue to navigate COVID-19 and its variants.”

The County’s pop-up program has now expanded to include all age-approved Union County residents. Currently, any resident age 12 and older is eligible for the Pfizer vaccine. Eligibility for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines begins at age 18. Those who receive the first dose of a two dose vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) at one of Union County’s Mobile Vaccinations Clinics will receive instructions as to how and when to receive their second dose. Currently, third doses of the two dose vaccines are available for immunocompromised residents.

Any Union County resident can make an appointment at any of the following clinics, regardless of their home town:

• Wednesday, September 1 in Rahway at 7^th and 8^th Grade Academy, 1139 Kline Place, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Johnson & Johnson/Pfizer vaccines/COVID-19 Saliva Testing)
• Thursday, September 2 in Elizabeth, Make the Road NJ, 42 Broad Street,  3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Johnson & Johnson/Pfizer vaccines/COVID-19 Saliva Testing)
• Saturday, September 4 in Hillside (held during the “Success is in the Bag” Back to School Event) at First Baptist Church. 166 Hillside Avenue, 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Johnson & Johnson/Pfizer vaccines/COVID-19 Saliva Testing).
• Wednesday, September 8 in Union Township, Union (Back to School) Rabkin Park, 1 Swanstrom Place E,  1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Johnson & Johnson/Pfizer vaccines/COVID-19 Saliva Testing)
• Saturday, September 4 in Roselle, Roselle Back to School Drive, 210 Chestnut Street,  12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Johnson & Johnson/Pfizer vaccines/COVID-19 Saliva Testing)
• Saturday, September 18 in Scotch Plains, Scotch Plains Farmer’s Market, 430 Park Avenue,  9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (Johnson & Johnson/Pfizer vaccines/COVID-19 Saliva Testing)

Appointments at the pop-up clinics can be booked online by creating an account at ucnj.org/vax.

Residents can also get vaccinated for free at any of Union County’s four vaccine clinics in Elizabeth, Plainfield, and Union Township. COVID-19 vaccines are available by appointment at Union County’s COVID-19 permanent vaccination sites: Dunn Sports Center in Elizabeth (currently offering the Pfizer vaccine), Kean University in Union Township (Moderna), and Plainfield High School in Plainfield (Pfizer). COVID-19 Vaccines are also available weekdays on a walk-in basis at the Union County Immunization Clinic located at 40 Parker Road in Elizabeth.

To schedule an appointment at Dunn Sports Center, Kean University or Plainfield High School, create an account online at ucnj.org/vax, or call 908-613-7829 (7VAX) if additional assistance is needed. Residents looking to visit the Immunization Clinic for a free COVID-19 vaccine can walk in Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Union County residents who are home-bound or have difficulty leaving the home can arrange for a home vaccination visit by contacting Union County’s service provider, Mobile Medical Services. Call 1-833-256-2478 during regular weekday business hours to speak with an operator, leave a voice message after hours to receive a callback, or email a callback request to vaccine@mmst.io. Messages are returned on the following business day.

For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Union County COVID-19 Test Center at Kean University, the Mobile Test Unit, vaccination information, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.

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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.

 

 

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Commissioners encourages all residents to join in observing International Overdose Awareness Day on Tuesday, August 31.

On Tuesday, the lights in the atrium of the Union County Administration Building in Elizabeth will be displayed in purple. The Commissioner Board has also adopted a resolution recognizing International Overdose Awareness Day.

“International Overdose Awareness Day is the world’s largest annual campaign to help prevent overdose. The Commissioner Board would like to honor those lives lost to overdose in 2021, and recognize those who are in recovery,” said Commissioner Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

In Westfield, The Matthew Thomas Toriello Memorial Fund and The Albert Anthony Kayal Foundation are working with the town’s administration to set up purple flags on the lawn of the Municipal building, one flag for each life lost in 2021. The flags will be on display on Tuesday, August 31st in recognition of National Overdose Awareness Day.

“According to the Union County Medical Examiner’s office, there have been 75 overdose fatalities in Union County in 2021. The town of Westfield will display a purple flag for those lives loss due to overdose this year, as we continue to spread the message about the tragedy of drug overdose death, and that drug overdose is preventable,” said Commissioner Kimberly Palmieiri-Mouded, who is a resident of Westfield.

International Overdose Awareness Day was initiated in 2001 in St Kilda, in Melbourne, Australia to remember without stigma those who have died, and to acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind. On this day, events are held across the U.S. and around the world to raise awareness and remember those who have been lost to drug overdose.

For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Union County COVID-19 Test Center at Kean University, the Mobile Test Unit, vaccination information, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.

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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.

 

Free, secure paper shredding events for Union County residents only.

Union County, NJ – Union County residents can bring their personal documents and sensitive papers to the next free paper shredding events sponsored by the Union County Board of County Commissioners. The next two events will take place, rain or shine, on Saturday, September 18 and Friday, September 24.

“The free shredding service makes it easy and convenient for Union County residents to dispose of sensitive documents while also supporting our countywide recycling efforts, and we strongly encourage everyone to participate,” said Commissioner Board Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

The September 18 event will be held at the Union County College campus on Springfield Avenue in Cranford. Use the 1033 Springfield Avenue entrance and follow signs to the rear of campus.

The September 24 event will be held at the Westfield Pool, located at 713 Cumberland Street in Westfield.

Each event is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at 1:00 p.m., but may finish earlier if the shredding trucks fill up to capacity.

Union County’s free paper shredding events are drive-up only. Paper for shredding should be placed in the trunk or cargo area, where it can be easily accessed. Staff at the site will unload the papers. Drivers must remain in their cars with their windows rolled up, and wear a face mask as a precaution against COVID-19.

All Union County residents can use the free paper-shredding events, regardless of their home town. In an effort to accommodate everyone, there is a limit of four 10-pound bags or boxes per vehicle. Preferably, documents should be brought in paper bags.

Participants are reminded that pre-shredded, damp, or wet paper will not be accepted. Bindings, large plastic or metal clips, and other paraphernalia should be removed.

The program will continue through October with visits to Scotch Plains and New Providence. For the complete schedule and more information on all recycling programs hosted by Union County, visit ucnj.org/recycle or call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889.

Union County’s free shedding events are intended for personal, sensitive documents only. Residents can recycle magazines, junk mail and other waste paper with their municipal recycling program. For information, contact the local municipal recycling coordinator.

For the latest news and updates on all municipal and countywide recycling programs in Union County, download the free Recycle Coach app. More information is available at ucnj.org/recycling/recycle-coach-app.

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

The mobile paper shredding program is paid for through Recycling Enhancement Act Grant funds, which are applied for by Union County and received from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Union County COVID-19 Test Center at Kean University, the Mobile Test Unit, vaccination information, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.

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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.