County of Union

ELIZABETH, NJ–The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation invite youngsters ages 4 to 12 years old to participate in “Paint by the Pond.” This will be the third year for this interactive art project which will take place on Saturday, May 12 from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. at the pond in Warinanco Park. The pond is located near the snack bar and basketball courts. This event will allow children to paint cardboard model houses and create art on poster board.

The “Paint by the Pond” project will teach families about the importance of recycling while encouraging children to paint on cardboard, creating art from materials usually thrown away.

There will also be miniature houses made with the cardboard boxes floating in the pond at Warinanco Park during the event.

“This year we will be back at the pond at Warinanco Park where young artists will be able to capture the glorious colors of spring,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

For more information on this exciting event, please call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at (908) 527-4900.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Office of LGBTQ Services, in collaboration with the Union County Performing Arts Center and with support from WellCare Health Plans, is proud to host the first Union County LIGHT UP THE NIGHT – TEEN PRIDE (the alternative prom) event for LGBTQ and ally high school youth (ages 16-19) on Friday, June 15 from 8:00 p.m. – 11 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.) at UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage located at 360 Hamilton Street, Rahway. Tickets are $25 each and are available online at ucpac.org.

“As prom season is fast approaching, the Freeholder Board is proud to offer LGBTQ and ally teens from throughout Union County an opportunity to experience this high school milestone in a space where all teens are welcome regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation, how they dress, or any other reason,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “According to Human Rights Campaign, four out of ten LGBTQ youth say they live in a community that doesn’t accept their sexual orientation. As an elected official, I support all of our residents including our LGBTQ youth – we are proud to host Union County’s first teen Pride alternative prom event for them.”

Light up the Night – wear neon or white to shine all night, glam it up, or come as you are. Union County’s LIGHT UP THE NIGHT – TEEN PRIDE (the alternative prom) event is an affirming space where every young person can unapologetically be themselves and make memories that last a lifetime. Come on your own, with a date, or with a group of friends to enjoy an inclusive evening of fun, light refreshments, DJ, drag queen emcee, and the crowning of the Rainbow Court!

“Union County’s TEEN PRIDE (the alternative prom) provides an opportunity for diverse groups of LGBTQ students from different schools throughout Union County to celebrate their individuality together in an environment that affirms who they are,” said Freeholder Alexander Mirabella. “We are proud to lead New Jersey’s County government in supporting the LGBTQ community with programs and services that directly impact quality of life.”

We aim to ensure a safe experience for everyone. Security will uphold a strict no tolerance for drugs and alcohol policy. Bags will be checked upon arrival. High School Student ID, with parental consent and photo release is required to be admitted with each ticket.

This year’s Union County PRIDE events are organized by the Union County Office of LGBTQ Services. Established as part of Chairman Granados’ 2018 Moving Union County Forward initiatives, the Office of LGBTQ Services, under the Division of Outreach and Advocacy in the Department of Human Services, is the first County government office of its kind in the State of New Jersey. It provides a platform for leadership and collaboration to support equality, serving as a catalyst for advocacy, awareness and action.

For more information about the Office of LGBTQ Services, contact Danni Newbury, coordinator, at 908-527-4742 or dnewbury@ucnj.org.

Free app connects residents with recycling information in handy mobile format.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce the launch of Recycle Coach, a free app designed to help make recycling and solid waste information more accessible to County residents and engage the public in the principles of “Reduce, Re-use and Recycle.”

Recycle Coach provides accurate, up-to-date information on Union County’s recycling events as well as local recycling schedules in a handy, user-friendly mobile format.

“Recycle Coach is an excellent opportunity for Union County residents to obtain accurate, up-to-date information on both county recycling events and local recycling schedules with the touch of a button,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “We look forward to partnering with all 21 Union County municipalities on this exciting new initiative, and pitching in together to boost participation and improve recycling rates countywide.”

The app provides personalized collection schedules based on place of residence. Once a resident downloads Recycle Coach, their calendar will list Union County recycling events along with local curbside garbage and recycling schedules.

The app will advise if there are changes in local collection due to holidays or weather.

Recycle Coach users can also set up recycling reminders and improve their recycling rates through a “What Goes Where?” search tool.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is the first state to purchase the Recycle Coach app and make it available to all New Jersey residents free of charge.

“By improving recycling rates here in Union County, we will also be contributing to our state’s ongoing commitment as a national leader in recycling,” said Chairman Granados.

The Recycle Coach app download is available free of charge on the Google Play and Apple Store Residents can also access the download through the County website at ucnj.org/recycle-coach.

Recycle Coach is part of Chairman Granados’s 2018 Plant A Seed initiative, designed to enable residents to take action to improve community health and well-being, including recycling and educational programs as well as the Union County Kids Dig In and Union County Means Green school and community garden grant programs.

For quick links to all Union County recycling events visit ucnj.org/recycling.

#  #

 

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 Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholder Christopher Hudak joined Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli, Union County Police Chief Chris Debbie, Union County Prosecutor’s Office Acting Chief of Investigations Vincent Gagliardi, Union County Public Safety Director Andrew Moran, Linden Fire Chief Joseph Dooley and Bayonne Battalion Chief Robert Seeburger at a cross-state joint training exercise in Linden aimed at enhancing intelligence- and information-sharing between New Jersey and New York.

The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP), in conjunction with the Jersey City/Newark Urban Areas Security Initiative (USAI), worked with an array of municipal, county and state agencies in a series of drills and exercises to test operational coordination and response to terrorist/mass casualty simulated incidents. 

This exercise is the first of its kind between the two states and will test each state’s information-sharing ability to deliver a coordinated response during a complex attack that impacts both states.

The drill ran for two days and involved the Union County Police Department, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Union County SWAT and Union County OEM resources, including our County Fire Academy Training Facility in Linden. First responder agencies from several municipalities also participated. The drills involved active shooter, bomb and hazmat situations.

Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi is pleased to announce that Vote-By-Mail ballots will be available in Westfield and Elizabeth beginning on Tuesday, May 1 for the 2018 Primary Election.

The US Senate and House of Representatives will top this year’s Primary election to be held on Tuesday, June 5. County Freeholders and local municipal elections also will be on the ballot.

“I strongly encourage voters to use a Vote-By-Mail ballot, in order to ensure that their voice is heard on Election Day,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “This year is especially important because voters will decide on candidates for US Congress, and the Vote-By-Mail ballot eliminates any uncertainty or difficulty in getting to the polls.”

The options to receive an application for a Vote-By-Mail ballot in Union County are:

Have an application form mailed to you.  Call the County Clerk’s Election Division at 908-527-4996 in order to have a form mailed to you, or request one through the County Clerk’s free Union County Votes mobile app.

Download a form and print it out. Applications for Vote-By-Mail ballots are available for download from the County Clerk’s website at unioncountyvotes.com. The application must be received in the office by May 29 to be valid for the Primary Election.

Pick up a form in person at the County Clerk’s Elizabeth or Westfield offices.  Voters picking up their application form in person may do so until 3:00 p.m. on Monday, June 4.

In-person applicants can use the County Clerk’s convenient One-Stop service to fill out their application, submit it, receive their ballot and cast it in a secure box in one visit.  The One-Stop service is available at both the Elizabeth and Westfield offices.

Under new state law, voters who use the One-Stop service must present a current New Jersey driver’s license or New Jersey State issued identification card that provides their name, address and photo.

The County Clerk’s Westfield Annex is located in the Colleen Fraser Building at 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield, Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays.

The Main Office of the County Clerk is located at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth at 2 Broad Street, Room 113. Regular office hours in Elizabeth are Monday through Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

As an added convenience for voters, the Elizabeth office has added an extra day of service before Primary Day.  It will be open on Saturday, June 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  The Westfield office will also be open for its regular Saturday hours on June 2 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Voters who choose to cast their Vote-By-Mail ballot by mail are advised to allow at least 3-5 days for delivery, to ensure that it is received by the close of the polls on Election Day.

 

#  #

Connect with Union County on social media.

 

 

 

Union County, NJ – Union County gardeners looking for a good Earth Day project can visit the new Union County Means Green online shop now and order a new compost bin or rain barrel at 50% off the retail price.

[Update: compost bins and rain barrels are available until Thursday, April 26. Order now at unioncompostersale.ecwid.com]

“Composting food scraps and harvesting rainwater are two effective ways to improve soil health and conserve water,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Offering these compost bins and rain barrels at a steep discount is one way in which the Freeholder Board supports our local gardeners, while helping to cut down on excess kitchen waste and stormwater runoff.”

“Compost bins and rain barrels also make great Earth Day gifts for your local school or community group,” added Granados.

Earth Day 2018 falls on Sunday, April 22.

A limited number of new compost bins and rain barrels are being offered on a first come, first served basis. The first 250 customers to purchase a compost bin will also receive a free kitchen scrap pail, and the Freeholder Board will donate one compost bin to a local community garden for every 25 compost bins sold.

The new discount program is part of Union County Plant a Seed, Chairman Granados’s 2018 initiative for encouraging individual empowerment and giving back to the community through environmental activities and education. Plant a Seed also includes the Union County Kids Dig In and Union County Means Green garden grant programs.

The online store is available now through the Plant A Seed web page or by visiting unioncompostersale.ecwid.com. Orders will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 23. Customers should plan to pick up their orders on Sunday, April 29 at Oak Ridge Park, located at 139 Oak Ridge Road in Clark, between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

“The food scrap recycling movement is really beginning to take off across the country, and we want to help Union County residents become leaders and role models for other communities,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Composting is a simple, economical and convenient way to add healthy nutrients to your garden, while cutting down on yard and kitchen waste.”

The benefits of composting include improving or maintaining high quality soil, growing healthy plants, reducing the use of fertilizer and pesticides, improving water quality and protecting the environment. By adding compost residents can conserve water and help improve soil to help hold water in the root zone.

“We like to say ‘it’s easy being green in Union County,’ and that’s especially true for composting,” said Granados. “Composting is a natural process that breaks down raw food and garden waste into a rich, healthy soil. The bins create the right environment, and nature does the rest.”

Granados also noted that rain barrels play an important role in water conservation.

“Rain barrels are a proven strategy for reducing storm water runoff and keeping harmful pollutants out of our environment,” said Granados. “From a gardening perspective, rainwater contains natural nutrients that help reduce the need for chemical fertilizers.”

For all Union County recycling programs and services visit ucnj.org/recycle.

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

#  #

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.

Please note: This event is now at capacity and registration is closed. Please check back for our next event in May.

Union County, NJ – Women in Union County can sign up now to attend “International Women’s Day – The Time is Now,” a free yoga, meditation class and emotional wellness event on Friday, March 9, at Maskers Barn in the historic Deserted Village of Feltville, located at 9 Cataract Hollow Road in the Deserted Village.

The wellness event is the latest edition in a free series conducted through the Department of Human Services Division on Outreach and Advocacy’s Office on Women.

The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. and last until 9:00 p.m.

 “International Women’s Day – The Time is Now” will feature:

• A short talk and introduction with time to network.
• Yoga session by Nicole DeAugustine, certified yoga instructor.
• Guided meditation ceremony with Rosie Lazroe, RYT & YACEP.
• Fire ceremony.
• Light snacks provided by Whole Foods.

Attendees should wear comfortable clothing appropriate for yoga, and bring their own yoga mats.

The event is free but space is limited. Pre-registration is required and can be found at ucnj.org/women.

For additional information about the event, please contact Jennifer Erdos, Union County Office on Women at jerdos@ucnj.org.

#  #

 

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 Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados welcomed Trisha Yurochko, the head coach of the Children’s Specialized Hospital Paralympic Sports Club Children’s Lightning Wheels, to the Union County Roundtable meeting for the Special Needs Community at the Cranford Community Center.

They were joined by Union County Department of Human Services Director Debbie-Ann Anderson, Union County Division of Outreach and Advocacy Director Maureen Segale-Glenn and Manuel Ramirez and Nicole DeAugustine of the Union County of Office for People with Special Needs.

The roundtable meeting was facilitated by Trisha Yurochko as more than 40 participants discussed and assessed current programs and services offered to individuals with special needs throughout Union County.

The creation of the state’s first-ever Office for People with Special Needs is part of Chairman’s “Moving Union County Forward” initiatives.

For more information about the Office for People with Special Needs, visit www.ucnj.org/departments/human-services/office-for-people-with-special-needs.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County)

Union County Freeholder Bruce H. Bergen has been appointed as the Chairman of the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition (RVRC), a rail transit advocacy group representing towns and counties along the NJ TRANSIT Raritan Valley line.

“I congratulate Chairman Bergen, and I look forward to working hard with him on the Coalition,” Kowalski said. “With the welcome change of leadership and direction in the Governor’s Office, we look forward to making progress on both our long-term and short-term goals in improving rail service.”

Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados congratulated Bergen on his appointment and added the Freeholder Board would work to strongly support his goals on the RVRC.

“Union County as a whole is a regional transit hub, and long-term improvements to its rail system are crucial to the economic well-being of our residents,” Granados said. “My colleagues and I look forward to working with Freeholder Bergen, who is leading the RVRC, and Freeholder Vice Chairman Kowalski in their efforts to lobby for crucially needed changes to the system.”

As a major part of his objectives, Bergen noted he would emphasize supporting Governor Phil Murphy’s goals of improving rail service and increasing funding, not just for the Raritan Valley Line, but for the crucially important Gateway Project, and other vital efforts at NJ Transit.

Bergen expressed the RVRC’s support for the Gateway Project, which includes the construction of an additional two-track tunnel to New York, adding that the existing network is on “life support,” and in dire need of repair and expansion. Construction of new tunnels under the Hudson River could provide sufficient capacity under the Hudson River to give the Raritan Valley Rail line a full schedule of one seat rides to New York Penn Station.

“The importance of the Gateway project to the travelling public and the regional economy cannot be understated.  While there are recent news reports of a setback in funding from the Trump administration, this is a project of utmost consequence and one that the RVRC has been vociferously advocating for. While some suggest shrinking the scope of the Gateway project is a solution to the funding problem, reality calls for full completion of the work.”

Bergen added he would also support a current NJ State legislative bill which includes $5 million in state funds for capacity improvements to the Raritan Valley Line.

To further improve the Raritan Valley Line, the RVRC supports a rail “flyover” that would alleviate switching problems between the Raritan Valley Line and Amtrak, which today causes train delays. It also supports the triple tracking of a section of the rail line and it urges further work on a same-platform transfer at Newark Penn Station.

The RVRC was created in 1998 to advocate for a one-seat ride on the Raritan Valley Line. At the time, Raritan Valley riders had to switch trains at Newark because diesel engines were not allowed into the tunnels under the Hudson River. 

In 2014, NJ Transit began using dual-mode locomotives that could switch from diesel to electric power, making it possible to have a direct ride into New York City. The first midday, off-peak weekday one-seat rides into New York started in March 2014, and evening service started in January 2015. However, rush-hour commuters still have to change trains in Newark.

The Raritan Valley Line is a commuter rail service operated by NJ Transit which serves passengers in municipalities in Union, Somerset, Middlesex and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. Union County stops include: Union, Roselle Park, Cranford, Garwood, Westfield, Fanwood,  Netherwood and Plainfield.  From Union County, the trains travel westward to High Bridge with eleven additional stops.

The RVRC website is www.raritanvalleyrail.com

Union County Freeholder Alexander Mirabella joined Mountainside Mayor Paul Mirabelli, Councilman Robert W. Messler, Councilwoman Deanna Andre, Councilwoman Wendy Fech Caccamo and Senior Citizen Coordinator Kim Moriak in cutting the ribbon officially opening the new Senior Lounge at the Mountainside Municipal Building.

The new Senior Lounge and other improvements to the borough’s Senior Center were made by possible with a $25,000 Union County Senior Focus Grant from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)