County of Union, New Jersey

Union County’s free drop-off scrap metal recycling program for all residents continues in September.

Union County, NJ — Union County residents with old or broken metal gutters, metal lawn furniture, metal ladders and many other kinds of household scrap metal are invited to bring them to Union County’s free drive-up, drop-off sites for recycling.

Two sites are available to all Union County residents for scrap metal drop-off:

Cranford:  The Emergency Services Building, 151 Kenilworth Boulevard

Rahway: In Rahway River Park (follow Park Drive Rahway off St. Georges to service yard across from swimming pool)

Both sites are open on Thursday, September 2 and Saturday, September 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on a drive-up only basis. Drivers must remain in their cars with masks on and windows up to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Staff at the sites will unload the items, which should be placed in a trunk or other easily accessible area.

“We encourage everyone to help pitch in and help conserve valuable resources, by recycling unwanted metal items that would otherwise go to waste,” said Union County Commissioner Board Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

Accepted metal items include air conditioners, aluminum scrap, aluminum siding, bicycles, brass, copper, dishwashers, electric fans, fencing (chain/wire), freezers, gutters, irons, lawn furniture, metal cabinets, metal sheds, microwaves, pots and pans, railings, refrigerators, stoves, tire rims, toasters, washers and dryers, window frames (no glass), and wire hangers.

Please note that plastic-encased dehumidifiers are not accepted.

Union County’s scrap metal recycling program runs each year from April to November, on the first Thursday and third Saturday of each month.

For more information about all of Union County’s recycling programs, visit online at ucnj.org/recycle or call the Union County Recycling Hotline.

To keep up to date with municipal recycling programs, download the free Recycle Coach mobile app.

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

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.

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Free outdoor movie to be shown at dusk; will cap off Multicultural Entertainment Day beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Commissioners invites all residents to enjoy the next outdoor movie night in Union County’s “Family Fun and Flix” series. The series continues with Aladdin on Thursday, August 26. The screening will cap Multicultural Entertainment Day in Conant Park, a full day of free public activities beginning at 11:00 a.m.

A basketball tournament, nature programs and musical performances will all be part of Multicultural Entertainment Day leading up to the movie. A family-friendly jazz and pop open music session will also be held prior to the movie, at 7:30 p.m. The movie will start at dusk.

The August 26 screening is the final event for this year in Union County’s annual “Family Fun & Flix” series of free outdoor movies, open to all the public.

“Free outdoor summer movies are a favorite family tradition in Union County, and we are looking forward to a full day of activities for the whole family at Conant Park as we close out the 2021 season,” said Commissioner Board Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

“Family fun embodies and highlights our Multicultural Entertainment Day as a wonderful opportunity for our residents of all ages to enjoy Conant Park, which provides the community with space for team sports, individual fitness, nature appreciation, and entertainment events, too,” said Union County Commissioner and Hillside resident Dr. Angela R. Garretson.

Union County’s Mobile COVID-19 Unit will also have a vaccination clinic at Conant Park on August 26 available from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., to dispense the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. To make an appointment online visit ucnj.org/vax. If assistance is needed with the online booking system contact the Union County COVID-19 Call Center at 908-613-7829.

Conant Park is one of 36 parks within the Union County parks system. It is located on Conant Street in Hillside. In recent years the park has been upgraded with a new playground, an outdoor fitness gym, new bleachers for the athletic fields and a walking path, among other features.

Visitors to Union County parks are reminded to wear masks in restrooms and other indoor spaces, in order to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

For more information about all activities in Union County parks, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900 or visit the Union County website; ucnj.org.

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.

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Free COVID-19 shots and saliva testing to be provided to residents at events in Hillside, Elizabeth and Scotch Plains.

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 months of August and September. The upcoming clinics will be held in Hillside, Elizabeth 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 permanent 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. 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:

• Thursday, August 26 in Hillside at Multicultural Entertainment Day Event at Conant Park, 320 Conant Street, 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (Johnson & Johnson/Pfizer vaccines/COVID-19 Saliva Testing)
• Saturday, August 28 in Roselle (held during the County’s Food Distribution event), Warinanco Park, 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.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 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 permanent 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.

 

 

First online system of its kind in Union County.

Hundreds of appointments for services have been booked online in first two days.

Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi reminds residents seeking services related to passports, notaries public, and business trade names that a new online system is now available for booking appointments.

“We are pleased to see that our residents are excited about this new online system, as it makes it easier for them to access our services quickly and conveniently,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “The feedback from constituents has been overwhelmingly positive.”

The online appointment system was launched earlier this week and in the first two days, more than 250 appointments have already been scheduled. The new online system enhances the current booking procedure. It eliminates holding time and it can be accessed at any time of the day or night.

All customers are reminded to arrive on time, as each appointment will be held only during the time allotted. Those who arrive late must schedule another appointment.

If an appointment needs to be canceled, customers should delete their reservation from the system or call the office as soon as possible, in order to free the slot for another person.

All customers must wear masks while visiting the County Clerk’s offices, in order to help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The County Clerk’s main office is located in the County Courthouse, at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth.

The annex office is located in the Colleen Frasier Building at the Union County Complex, 300 North Avenue East in Westfield.

For a link to the online booking system and all other County Clerk services, and for office hours, visit ucnj.org/county-clerk or call the County Clerk’s main office in Elizabeth, at 908-527-4787.

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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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of County Commissioners reminds residents who are already vaccinated against COVID-19 that they can now receive a third shot if they are in an immunosuppressed category. The approved third shot applies to those who have already received two doses of either the Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine. Those who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine are not eligible at this time.

“Union County began administering the third shot to eligible residents at 7:00 a.m. last Saturday morning, within hours of approval by state and federal agencies. We will continue to work diligently to ensure that approved vaccination regimens are applied in our community as soon as possible,” said Union County Commissioner Board Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

Those eligible for a third shot include cancer patients and organ donation recipients, among others. More details are available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019.

Eligible Union County residents need to wait four weeks after their second shot of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine in order to receive their third shot. Appointments for the third shot can be booked online at ucnj.org/vax. Eligible residents can also visit any vaccination site in Union County on a walk-in basis with proof of their first two shots.

For details about Union County’s vaccination clinics, as well as home vaccination services for the home bound and additional COVID-19 resources, visit ucnj.org/covid19. For additional assistance contact the Union County COVID-19 Call Center for assistance at 908-613-7829 during regular weekday business hours.

Federal health officials are also beginning to plan for booster shots to be administered to all persons who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Union County residents are reminded that those plans are still in the initial phase and are not expected to begin until September 20. At the present time, only persons in immunocompromised categories are approved for an additional dose.

The third shot is recommended only for immunocompromised people because studies show their systems may not respond adequately to the first two shots. The booster shots are different. They are recommended for all persons because studies show that the protective effect of the first two shots can diminish over time, especially as new variants of the COVID-19 virus emerge.

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, emergency rental assistance 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.