County of Union, New Jersey

Union County, NJ — Gardening enthusiasts can stock up on plants, seedlings and other supplies — and shop for a cause, too — at the 30th annual Master Gardeners of Union County Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale.  The Spring Garden Fair is known for a large selection of flowers, herbs, and vegetables including the popular Ramapo and Rutgers 250 tomatoes.

The event takes place on Sunday, May 19, from noon to 4:00 p.m., on the grounds of the Union County Demonstration Garden at the Trailside Nature and Science Center in the Watchung Reservation, 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside. All proceeds from sales at the Garden Fair go to support the many community service projects of Master Gardener volunteers, including donations of fresh produce to local food pantries, educational events for youth and adults, programs for people with special needs, and more.

“On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I would like to thank our Master Gardener volunteers for their many contributions to the quality of life in Union County,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowlaski. “A visit to the Garden Fair is a fun, inspiring way to kick off the growing season while contributing to a good cause, too.”

Visitors are advised to bring a small wagon to convey their purchases. As always, admission to the Garden Fair is free, and parking is also free. Please note that credit cards are not accepted, and pets are not permitted at the Garden Fair.

Among the hundreds of plants and seedlings offered for sale, the Spring Garden Fair features deer resistant, drought tolerant and fragrant plants that thrive in Union County, including native species and many easy-to-grow plants for beginner gardeners.

Along with plants, baked goods, crafts, and gently used garden supplies for sale, the Spring Garden Fair offers free activities for gardeners of all ages including:

• Guided tours of the Demonstration Garden including the vegetable and herb gardens.
• Displays and information for Square Foot Gardening, Invasive Plants and Mosquito Control.
• Information on joining the Rutgers Master Gardeners, Environmental Stewards and 4-H Master Tree Stewards.
• Children’s activities (children must be accompanied by parent or guardian).
• Garden clinic and Rutgers information fact sheets for troubleshooting garden problems.
• Attendees can bring plant and insect samples for diagnosis.
• Rutgers soil test kits are available for sale.

Free parking is located nearby at the Trailside Nature and Science Center parking lot and the Scout Camping Area in the Watchung Reservation. Additional free parking is available in the Loop playground area, located a short walk away on the other side of the Trailside Center.

The Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County is an all-volunteer organization run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County and supported in part by the Freeholder Board.

Anyone with an interest in gardening and volunteer service can earn Master Gardener certification by successfully completing a series of training classes offered locally. No previous education or training in horticulture is required.

For more information on the Master Gardeners program contact Tamisha Hopkins at the Extension, 908-654-9854 (ext. 2), or visit online at ucnj.org/rce.

The Extension offices are located in the Colleen Frasier building in the Union County Complex at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield.

Union County residents and visitors with an interest in preserving native plant species are also invited to attend the free “Good Plants and Bad Plants” seminar on May 18 at Trailside. A free brochure providing guidance on ornamental native species titled “Plant This, Not That” is also available for download, and a “Plant Swap” and native plant tour will take place in the Demonstration Garden on Thursday evening, June 6, from 5:30p.m. to 8:30 pm. 

For quick links to all Union County programs related to gardening, sustainability and nature conservation visit The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connection.

Directions to Trailside Nature & Science Center:

VIA ROUTE 24 EAST

1. Exit at River Road and follow it into Summit.
2. Turn left at traffic light onto Morris Avenue at Schering Plough.
3. Travel past Overlook Hospital, bear right just before the traffic light and turn immediately left at the next traffic light onto Baltusrol Road. (sign says to Rt. 22).
4. At the top of the hill, turn right at the traffic light onto Summit Lane.
5. At the wooded traffic circle, take the second right and proceed ½ mile to Trailside. Parking lot is on the right.

VIA ROUTE 22 WEST – EXIT #140A ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY SOUTH

1. Take Route 22 West past Springfield exits to Mountainside/New Providence Road exit.
2. Turn right (just before the traffic light) and proceed up the hill.
3. Take the 5th right onto Ackerman Avenue.
4. At the top of the hill, turn right onto Coles Avenue. Trailside’s parking lot is about 1/4 mile on the left hand side.

VIA ROUTE 22 EAST

1. Take Route 22 East to exit marked Mountainside/New Providence Road.
2. Take the jug-handle and turn left toward the traffic light.
3. Cross over Route 22.
4. Proceed as above from #3.

VIA ROUTES 287 & 78 EAST

1. Take Rt. 287 to Rt. 78 to exit 44 (New Providence/Berkeley Heights).
2. Turn left at the traffic light onto Glenside Avenue.
3. Go 1.2 miles and turn right into the Watchung Reservation (Rt. 645 – W.R Tracey Dr.).
4. Proceed past Lake Surprise, uphill and straight past loop picnic area to the wooded traffic circle.
5. At traffic circle take the first right and proceed ½ mile to Trailside. Parking lot is on the right.

VIA ROUTE 78 WEST

1. Take Rt. 78 West to exit 43 (New Providence/Berkeley Heights).
2. Turn right at first light onto McMane Avenue.
3. At T-intersection, turn left onto Glenside Avenue.
4. Proceed as above from #3.

VIA N.J. TURNPIKE NORTH/GARDEN STATE PARKWAY NORTH

1. Take NJ Turnpike to exit 11, Garden State Parkway.
2. Take GSP to Exit 135.
3. Stay to left on exit ramp and enter traffic circle. Proceed around circle, under parkway and straight onto Central Avenue.
4. Follow Central Avenue into the center of Westfield.
5. At T-intersection/traffic light, turn right onto Broad Street and make first left at the next traffic light onto Mountain Avenue.
6. Follow Mountain Avenue to the traffic light in Mountainside.
7. Turn Left onto New Providence Road.
8. Go through the traffic light crossing over Route 22.
9. Proceed uphill and take the 5th right onto Ackerman Avenue.
10. At the top of the hill, turn right onto Coles Avenue. Trailside’s parking lot is about 1/4 mile on the left hand side.

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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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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 Union County History Grant Program. These grants are made possible through funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission. Funds are then awarded locally, to historical groups by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs through the Re-Grant Program.

“The Union County History Grant Program is an excellent opportunity to obtain funding that assists County historical groups with operating expenses and other costs,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “The Freeholder Board is proud to afford community groups the opportunity to better position themselves and their projects for continued success.”

The 2019 Union County History Grant Program Awardees are:

• Cranford Historical Society $2,200, for General Operating Support.
• duCret School of Art: $1,000, historical preservation of donations to be cleaned, catalogued and displayed.
• Fanwood-Scotch Plains Rotary Frazee House, Inc.: $2,500, for design, development and production of marketing materials.
• Historic Midtown Elizabeth SID: $750, annual historic American Revolutionary War reenactment held during Four Centuries in a Weekend.
• Historical Society of Plainfield: $3,500, for General Operating Support.
• Historical Society of Elizabeth: $3,000, for General Operating Support.
• Linden Public Library: $1750, phase 2 of the digitization of Linden’s historic newspapers.
• Merchants & Drovers Tavern Museum Association: $2,000, for General Operating Support.
• Reeves-Reed Arboretum: $2,300, third year in a series of the Time Capsule Garden, featuring the year 1925.
• Springfield Free Public Library: $1,000, continuation of cataloging and accessioning of the collection in the library museum.
• Springfield Historical Society: $1,000, for General Operating Support.
• Union Township Historical Society: $2,000, for partial restoration and conservation of four historic documents.
• Visual Arts Center of New Jersey: $1,000, for continuation of Exhibitions Archives Project.

The two types of grants available through the History Re-Grant Program are:

• General Operating Support grants: These grants provide assistance for the basic costs of operation, including but not limited to programming, preservation of collections, salaries and marketing. These grants are for Union County based historical societies, house museums or historic sites only. The maximum grant request is $5000.00.
• Special Project grants: These grants support history organizations, museums, schools, libraries and similar organizations with collections or programming relating to Union County and New Jersey state history. The maximum grant request is $3500.00.

For more information on the Union County History Grant receive more information, call the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 908-436-2912 or email John Prescott, jprescott@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.

Connect with Union County on social media.

Union County, NJ – What is the difference between a good plant and a bad plant? Plenty, if you want to contribute to a healthy environment. Conservationists are encouraging home owners and professional landscapers alike to plant native species that help support a natural, flourishing ecosystem in local communities.

To help gardeners learn how to select beneficial plants and avoid the “bad” ones, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites the public to a special free event, Good Plants and Bad Plants: How to Tell the Difference and Support Healthy Ecosystems, on Saturday, May 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Trailside Nature & Science Center, 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside.

The event is free but pre-registration is required by emailing watershed7@ucnj.org.

Landscapers and property managers are encouraged to attend, as well as homeowners, gardeners, civic and environmental organizations, and members of the public who are interested in conserving native species.

“Anyone who works in a yard, garden, or any other landscaped space throughout Union County can help support pollinator preservation, water conservation, and other important environmental causes by eliminating harmful invasive species and planting more native species,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.

Good Plants and Bad Plants is presented by Mike Van Clef, an expert on rare and invasive species and co-founder of the New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team. Mr. Van Clef has 25 years of experience in the field of ecological health monitoring and natural resource policy.

Mr. Van Clef will explain why native plants are important, how to select beneficial native plants for their property or business, and how to help foster a healthy, diverse ecosystem in the Union County community.

Members of the public are also invited to Trailside on Thursday, June 6, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., for a native plant “Swap & Shop” at the Union County Demonstration Garden.

Attendees can bring an invasive plant from their property and trade it for a native plant free of charge, purchase additional native plants on site, and tour the elaborate grounds. Pre-registration is required by emailing watershed7@ucnj.org.

For additional guidance on beneficial plants in the Union County area download the free “Plant This, Not That” brochure from the County website.

To help conserve and improve the habitat in Union County parks, volunteer with the Adopt-a-Park program. Information on volunteering is online at ucnj.org/parks or call 908-789-3683. Any individual or group is welcome to join.

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

Good Plants and Bad Plants is a special presentation of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation Environmental Services office through the New Jersey Watershed Ambassador Program, a project of Americorps and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

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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 – Union County residents seeking reliable information about services for adults age 60 and older can come to convenient locations throughout the County and speak in person with experienced staff from the Union County Aging and Disability Resource Connection, a division of the Department of Human Services.

The community visits are scheduled every month through Union County’s ASK (Aging Services Kiosk) program. In May, the ASK program will come to public libraries in Elizabeth, Clark, Cranford, Garwood, Mountainside, Summit and Union, and to the Rahway Senior Center.

“Our goal is to help senior residents access the resources they need to stay connected with their communities,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “The ASK program helps seniors, their families, and their caregivers get expert guidance in person, in a comfortable setting close to home.”

Guidance offered through the ASK program includes home delivered meals, respite care, home care, adult day care, and support services for caregivers.

Assistance with completing applications and forms is also provided.

All Union County residents are welcome to attend any ASK event. The dates and locations for May are:

Monday, May 6

Elizabeth Public Library – LaCorte Branch

418 Palmer Street

Elizabeth, NJ 07202

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

 

Wednesday, May 8

Cranford Public Library

224 Walnut Avenue

Cranford, NJ 07016

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

 

Thursday, May 9

Rahway Senior Center

1306 Esterbrook Avenue

Rahway, NJ  07065

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

 

Thursday, May 16

Garwood Public Library

411 Third Avenue

Garwood, NJ 07027

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

 

Friday, May 17

Mountainside Public Library

Constitution Plaza

Mountainside, NJ 07092

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

 

Monday, May 20

Clark Public Library

303 Westfield Avenue

Clark, NJ 07066

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

 

Monday, May 20

Summit Public Library

75 Maple Street

Summit, NJ 07901

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

 

Tuesday, May 28

Union Public Library

1980 Morris Avenue

Union, NJ 07083

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

 

The Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection is modeled on a national initiative aimed at promoting wellness, independence, dignity and choice. In addition to ASK and other outreach events, printed information is available in English and Spanish.

For more information about the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection, visit the Department of Human Services online at ucnj.org/departments/human-services or call 888-280-8226 (toll free), 908-527-4870, or 908-527-4858. Spanish speakers may call 908-527-4863. 

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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.

County of Union Administration Staff is wearing jeans today in support of Denim Day and to bring more sexual assault issues to light. Sexual violence is a serious public health problem and affects millions of women and men in the United States.

 Prosecutor’s Office – Police Academy employees

Department of Human Services – Social Services Division employees

Office of Witness Advocacy employees  Marcela Triacanico, Ana Maria Melara and Kimberly Best-Paris

Union County, NJ- The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will recognize local artists at a public reception and awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 1, at the 18^th Annual Exhibit and Contest for County of Union employees and their families. The event will take place at Liberty Hall Center, located at 1085 Morris Avenue in Union Township, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

“The Employee Art Exhibit recognizes the contributions that our Union County employees make to the cultural life of our community, including retired employees, volunteers, and family members,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board. “On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I would like to thank Liberty Hall Center for hosting the exhibit and awards reception, and the National Arts Program Foundation for funding the award prizes.”

Presented in partnership with the National Arts Program, the exhibit will be open to the public weekdays until May 21, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Entrants in the Employee Art Exhibit were judged by three professional artists with broad experience in the art world: Lawrence Cappiello, Frank Falotico, and Darlene Foster.

Lawrence Cappiello is currently the Assistant Administrator for Cultural & Heritage for the City of Rahway. He was a founder of Arts Guild New Jersey (formerly the Arts Guild of Rahway), a non-profit center for the Arts in Rahway, NJ, and he served as Executive Director and artistic Director of the organization from 1998 to 2018.

Frank Falotico is a painter, figurative sculptor and anatomist who taught at duCret School of Art in Plainfield for more than 43 years and served as the school’s Director from 1985 until 2016. He has conducted numerous lectures and workshops in artistic anatomy throughout the area. He has exhibited his paintings in numerous shows in New Jersey and New York including the Swain Galleries in Plainfield, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Rutgers University, and the Salmagundi Club in New York City. He has served on the Advisory Boards of the Monmouth County Vocational School and the Somerset County Technical Institute.

Darlene Foster studied drawing and painting at the Sarah Brown School of Art in Atlanta. She participated in shows and exhibits before moving to Plainfield in 1977, where she began incorporating photography into her artwork, leading to a career as a retouching artist. Pencils, brushes and dyes gave way to digital in the mid ‘90s when the computer was introduced to her as an art tool. Ms. Foster currently does photographic painting, retouching, restoration and collage for photographers and the general public as well as her personal artwork.

The National Arts Program is in its 36^th year with 90 venues in 38 states. The program was conceived by Leonard E.B. Andrews, an art collector, publisher, business executive and journalist, to encourage and develop of artistic expression.

The National Arts Program provides an opportunity for people to present their talent, at whatever level, in a free, public exhibition. It is sponsored by The National Arts Program Foundation of Malvern, Pennsylvania. To learn more about the program, visit thenationalartsprogram.org.

Additional support for this event is provided by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts in the Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information about the Employee Art Exhibit and all other programs of the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, visit ucnj.org/parks-recreation, call 908-558-2550 or e-mail culturalinfo@ucnj.org. NJ relay users dial 711.

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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:

                  

 

Event features exhibitions and break out talks on “How to Make Your Money Last” for seniors beginning 9 a.m. in Garwood

GARWOOD, NJ—The Senior Citizens Council of Union County will be presenting “Staying in New Jersey: How to Make Your Money Last,” a free event featuring talks, exhibitions, and screenings, running from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the Westwood in Garwood.

The event is co-sponsored by the Union County Freeholder Board as part of Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski’s “Empowering Union County” initiatives. The Westwood is located at 438 North Avenue.

“Many of Union County’s seniors are very active and living longer than ever before, which means their finances must last longer,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski, who announced initiatives for seniors as part of her “Empowering Union County” initiatives. “We’re proud to partner with the Senior Citizens Council of Union County and co-sponsor this informative and interactive event, which covers a wide variety of topics related to finance and health.”

​​​Doors open at 9:00 am with a free continental breakfast.  Attendees will have the opportunity to browse the information exhibits on display.  There will be free on-site screenings offered by local area hospitals and healthcare providers.  The formal program with a panel of guest speakers will run from 10:15am to 11:45am with time for questions.

Featured topics include:

Personal Budget Planning:  Monitoring your spending.  Prioritizing your needs.

Downsizing Your Home:  Upkeep problem or financial burden, or both?  Smaller home, rental, alternative living arrangements

Credit & Lending Options:  Home equity lines, refinancing, reverse mortgages.  Can you get a cash advance?

Getting a Job:  Full or part-time.  What are you qualified to do?  Job training and placement.

Medicaid Eligibility:  How do you qualify?  When should you apply?

Other Government Funded Support:  What are the subsidized programs for home and healthcare?

To RSVP, or for more information, please contact the Union County Senior Citizens Council at 908-964-7555 or go to www.njseniorcouncil.com or email info@njseniorcouncil.com

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders informs residents that children who are at least 12 months old and under age 19 and who are Medicaid eligible, uninsured or underinsured are eligible to receive free vaccines to prevent measles. This free service is available at the County’s Immunization Clinic operated by the Union County Department of Human Services, Division of Social Services.

“Recently, over a dozen new cases of measles have been reported in our area,” stated Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “The Freeholder Board takes this outbreak very seriously and we want to make residents aware that there are resources available to prevent the spread of measles. Vaccination measures in turn, help to protect all our children and residents.”

In 2000, measles was considered eliminated in the United States.  According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2019 has the second highest number of measles cases in the United States in 25 years. Complications include pneumonia, ear infections, swelling on the brain, and negative impacts on pregnancy. The safe and effective MMR shot (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, also known as German or three-day measles) is the best way to protect against infection.

Measles, a virus that become airborne when an infected person coughs or sneezes, can live in the air and on exposed surfaces for up to two hours.  Measles in considered highly contagious with 90% of those who are unvaccinated contracting the disease when exposed.

The CDC continues to encourage parents to get their children vaccinated on schedule with the MMR vaccine. People 6 months and older should be protected with the vaccine, especially before leaving on international trips.

Union County’s Immunization Clinic, in operation since 1995, is part of the federal Center for Disease Control’s VFC (Vaccines For Children) program and is part of each state’s Medicaid plan. The clinic offers a series of vaccines suggested by the CDC as well as required vaccines for public school admission. Appointments are required and residents may call 908-965-3627 or 908-965-3868 to schedule. The county’s clinic is located at 40 Parker Road, Elizabeth, and is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For additional information and resources on measles please visit the New Jersey Department of Health’s measles website (https://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/topics/measles.shtml), the NPHIC (https://www.nphic.org/members-area/measles-resources/#20190416-nh)  or CDC’s measles website (https://www.cdc.gov/measles/index.html).

For personal assistance with any service provided by the Union County Department of Human Services, call the UCDHS Action Line at 888-845-3434 or 908-558-2288.

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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.