County of Union, New Jersey

Union County Freeholder Board approves plan to replace Netherwood Avenue bridge in Plainfield
1,400 cars and trucks daily cross 89-year-old bridge

Union County, NJ – The Union County Freeholder Board approved a $2.2 million dollar plan to replace the Netherwood Avenue Bridge which connects Plainfield and North Plainfield over the Green Brook. More than 1,400 cars and trucks cross the bridge, which was constructed in 1928, on a daily basis.

“This is an important roadway that feeds traffic off Mountain Avenue from Route 22 and leads into the Netherwood Train station,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen. “The bridge was declared structurally deficient, and the project will consist of demolition of the current structure and the construction of a new bridge.”

The County finished construction earlier this year on the Raymond Avenue Bridge in Plainfield at a similar cost. The bridge, which also crosses the Green Brook, connects Union County, Watchung and North Plainfield, and is considered a structural twin of the Netherwood Avenue Bridge.

Other bridge/culvert reconstruction projects scheduled to occur over the next few years for Plainfield include the Pemberton Avenue Bridge, the Stelle Avenue Bridge, and Watchung Avenue Culvert.

“Plainfield is a major regional transportation hub, and the Union County Freeholder Board has an ongoing commitment to maintain and improve its network of roads, bridges and culverts throughout the city,” said Freeholder Linda Carter, a resident of Plainfield.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation provided $1 million in funding, and the County of Union will provide approximately $1.2 million for the new Netherwood Avenue Bridge. The Freeholder Board on Thursday awarded the contract to Rencor Inc. of Somerville, NJ, and construction is anticipated to begin in September, and expected to finish by late summer next year.

There are 18 bridges/culverts over the Green Brook between the City of Plainfield and the Borough of North Plainfield, and the management and repair of which are shared by the counties of Somerset and Union. Somerset is responsible for the bridges to the west of Watchung Avenue, and Union is responsible for those to the east.

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The Union County Board of Chose Freeholders congratulates Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan and Sgt. Patrick Hora as they accept the Certificate of Re-Accreditation from Harry Delgado of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJACOP) during the Freeholders meeting in Elizabeth.

The re-accreditation signifies the Sheriff’s Office has successfully met a body of internationally recognized professional standards. 

Accredited status represents a significant professional achievement. The Sheriff’s Office has now achieved re-accreditation twice. Of the nearly 600 law enforcement agencies in New Jersey, less than one percent obtains re-accreditation for a second time.

Delgado of the NJACOP praised the Sheriff’s Office for its professionalism and the implementation of policies and procedures that are conceptually sound and operationally effective.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders reminds residents a heat advisory for Union County and the metro area is still in effect.

“As the heat wave continues please observe some simple safety precautions that can help reduce your risk of heat stroke, and keep an eye out for children, seniors and others who may be more vulnerable to overheating,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen.

Heat stroke is a serious condition that can be fatal. Protective measures include:

• Drink plenty of fluids and limit time outdoors.
• To cool off, visit a community center, public library or other public space with air conditioning.
• Check on neighbors who are elderly or who may be in need of assistance.
• When working outdoors, take frequent breaks in the shade or in an air conditioned space.

“Don’t hesitate to call for emergency medical attention if you experience the symptoms of heat stroke, or if you observe the symptoms in other persons,” said Bergen.

Symptoms of heat stroke include:

• Fainting
• Throbbing headache.
• Dizziness and light-headedness.
• Lack of sweating despite the heat.
• Red, hot, and dry skin.
• Muscle weakness or cramps.
• Behavioral changes such as disorientation or staggering
• Seizures
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Rapid heartbeat, which may be either strong or weak.
• Rapid, shallow breathing

Union County’s Trailside Nature & Science Center offers a fun respite from the heat. Admission is free every day of the week, and there is a modest fee for special events and activities. Visit ucnj.org for a full schedule.

For a list of playgrounds in County parks with water features visit ucnj.org/parks-recreation/spraygrounds (please note that the Snyder Avenue Park sprayground was closed for repairs and is expected to re-open this week).

Information on Union County’s Ulrich Pool in Rahway River Park is available at ucnj.org/parks-recreation/pools.

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 Homeowners urged to be vigilant and take precaution

An elusive green beetle, approximately one half inch long, could  possibly devastate New Jersey’s entire ash tree population and the Union County Freeholder Board would like you to be aware of this menace and what you can do to fight back.

The beetle, known as the Emerald Ash Borer has already arrived in ten New Jersey counties, destroying a swath of ash trees, and while there have not been no reported infestations in Union County, experts are saying that the dangerous insect will arrive here, if it hasn’t already.  The State has installed

The adult insect lays its eggs under the bark of the ash tree. When the eggs hatch, the larvae tunnel under the bark, eating the cambium layer, and cutting off the supply of water and nutrients to its branches and leaves that the tree needs to survive.  By the time the larvae turn into adults and become visible as they emerge from under the bark, the damage is already done.  The tree will usually be dead within three years.

The infestations throughout the U.S. and Canada have killed tens of millions of ash trees since 2002—and tree experts and scientists have anticipated that 24 million Ash trees in New Jersey—or a figure that could be as high as 5 percent of the overall tree population—could be destroyed. 

“While it will be very difficult to stop the creature from making substantial damage to the state’s ash tree population, homeowners should be made aware about what their options are,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “Trees play a very important role in Union County’s ecology, our quality of life and the value of real estate.”

First, homeowners should determine whether there is an ash tree on their property. There are many resources online that can assist in this process, however, it may be best to consult a tree care professional to leave no doubt.

A certified tree expert can help residents evaluate, then treat or remove ash trees. Contact the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts, the licensing agency for tree experts and tree care operators, at 732-833-0325 or send them an email at njtreeexperts@gmail.com for a list of professionals serving your area.  To visit them online, please go to: www.njtreeexperts.org

After consulting with the tree care professional and identifying an ash tree, homeowners must decide whether to treat with an insecticide as a preventative measure, or to remove their ash trees. If left untreated an ash tree will likely be infected and killed by the Emerald Ash Borer. A dead tree will become brittle and dangerous if not removed.

If an ash tree is already infested or in poor health, it may be best to remove the tree before it poses a hazard to people and surrounding structures. But for those residents with high-value ash trees in good health, the trees can be treated before they become infested.

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s website is an important  resource for homeowners and communities. http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/emeraldashborer.html

Additional info can be had at: www.emeraldashborer.nj.gov  www.emeraldashborer.info  Or www.forestry.nj.gov

Local residents are being urged to consider participating in a state-run gun buyback program going on next weekend, through which cash payouts of up to $200 per firearm are being made available to members of the public, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park, Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, Union County Sheriff Joseph P. Cryan, and Union County Director of Public Safety Andrew Moran said in a joint announcement Thursday.

The event is being held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 28 and Saturday, July 29. One of the three locations for the buyback, being coordinated by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark, is the Greater Abyssinian Baptist Church on Lyons Avenue in Newark – a site just several blocks from Hillside and a short distance away from numerous Union County municipalities. The other locations include Antioch Baptist Church on Ferry Avenue in Camden and the Friendship Baptist Church on Perry Street in Trenton.

New Jersey residents can turn in up to three firearms of any type, no questions asked, and receive payouts of $100 for a rifle or shotgun, $120 for a handgun or revolver, and $200 for an assault weapon. Police officers and law enforcement firearms experts will be on hand to assist with the valuation and securing of turned-in weapons. 

Pursuant to New Jersey Statute 2C:39-6g, all weapons being transported to the gun buyback locations must be carried unloaded and contained in a closed and fastened case, gun box, or securely tied package, and locked in the trunk of the vehicle in which it is being transported. Also, pursuant to the statute, driving to and from the locations must “include only such deviations as are reasonably necessary under the circumstances.”

Since 2013, two law enforcement-run gun buybacks were held in Union County, resulting in the collection of nearly 1,500 firearms.

“We were extremely pleased with the results of our previous events, and we recommend and encourage that any resident of Union County seeking to dispose of a firearm or firearms participate in this program,” Prosecutor Park said. “One of this Office’s top priorities is investigating, prosecuting, and preventing violent crime – and reducing the number of dangerous weapons in Union County neighborhoods is a simple, effective way to work toward that goal.”

“It’s an imperative for us in law enforcement to do everything in our power to take as many guns off our streets as possible, and buybacks such as these are useful mechanisms through which many hundreds of firearms are collected at once,” Sheriff Cryan said. “These are weapons that are out of the picture for good – they’ll never be a factor in an intentional or accidental incident that results in an injury or death – and all of us are a little safer because of it.”

“Tens of thousands of Americans die each year from gun violence, and having fewer guns around could mean they won’t end up in the wrong hands, including our children,” Freeholder Chairman Bergen added.

The Attorney General’s Office is paying for the gun buyback with forfeiture funds obtained by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, the New Jersey State Police, and the three participating County Prosecutors’ Offices, in Camden, Essex, and Mercer counties. Payouts will be made on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The gun buyback was first announced during a press event in Trenton held earlier this month. In addition to the gun buyback program, Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey William Fitzpatrick and New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino announced an enhanced commitment to coordinate state and federal efforts to prosecute gun crimes aggressively, with a particular focus on the “Triggerlock” program, under which high-priority gun offenders arrested by municipal police or state authorities are referred for prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office under federal law. This typically means lengthier prison terms, including potential penalties of 15 years without parole to life for the most serious gun offenses.

“Our joint efforts to take guns off the street – whether it is through the Attorney General’s buyback program or our coordinated prosecution of firearms offenses and violent gangs – demonstrate our shared commitment to use every strategy, investigative technique, and resource to protect the communities we serve,” Fitzpatrick said.

“Gun buybacks provide a vital means for taking deadly firearms out of circulation before they can be used to take a life,” Porrino added. “Some say that weapons turned in during these buybacks are just old ‘attic guns’ — as if that somehow makes them less lethal. Whether we’re talking about a Tec-9 or an old hunting rifle, guns are dangerous. All anyone needs to do is read news stories from across the nation – including New Jersey – to know that guns left lying around the home are a common source of tragedy.”

The gun buyback has also been promoted through radio, newspaper, bus transit, social media, and other advertising throughout the month. Any resident with questions about the buyback effort can call the Attorney General’s Citizen Services unit at 609-984-5828 or visit www.nj.gov/guns; frequently asked questions and answers can also be accessed online at http://www.nj.gov/guns/faq.html.

Union County’s summer tour of Shakespeare’s outrageously fun comedy The Taming of the Shrew takes the stage at the Raymond Wood Bauer Promenade amphitheater in Linden this Sunday, July 23 at 7 p.m.

“This summer’s tour of Shakespeare’s classic romantic-comedy The Taming of the Shrew in our parks provides an opportunity for residents of all ages to experience the clever and compelling language of Shakespeare,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen.

Bring the entire family to enjoy The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s Next Stage Ensemble’s abridged performance of the zesty, romantic comedy of male chauvinism and women’s rights in the 16th century. Sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, this free performance is too fun to miss.

Petruchio, a poverty-stricken gentleman from Verona, journeys to Padua in search of a wealthy wife. There, he encounters the fiery Katharina, a self-willed shrew who engages Petruchio in a humorous battle of wit and insult with Kate as determined to maintain her independence as Petruchio is to “tame” her.

The final performance of this summer’s Shakespeare in the Park tour of The Taming of the Shew will be on Friday, August 4 at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside at 7 p.m. Admission is free to all of the performances.

The Next Stage Ensemble, the Shakespeare Theatre’s summer touring company of early career actors, is part of the Theatre’s Summer Professional Training Program which offers students working toward a career in the performing arts clear instruction, individual attention, and thoughtful and candid evaluation in a professional theatre environment. The Next Stage Ensemble works with The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s resident and guest directors to fully develop abridged productions of classic plays. Come out to Union County parks this summer to the see Next Stage Ensemble’s performance of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

For more information or for a complete listing of summer events visit ucnj.org.