County of Union

Members of the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition (RVRC) are pleased with this week’s announcement from NJ Transit that one-seat ride service to New York’s Penn Station will be expanded to evenings after 8 p.m., starting this fall. 

“One-seat ride service during off-peak weekday hours on the Raritan Valley line has been received very positively since it was launched in March,” said Somerset County Freeholder Peter S. Palmer, who chairs the rail coalition.  “We are very proud of the working relationship we have established with NJ Transit and the evening service is a very important second step of getting increased one-seat ride access using the new dual locomotives.”

“Union County’s Freeholders welcome NJ Transit’s cooperation in expanding this train service to New York,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, a Trustee of the RVRC.  “We have a lot of riders who will benefit from a shorter ride into New York City, and we’ll keep working with the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition to make this rail service easier and faster.” 

NJ Transit has dual-mode locomotives that operate as diesels through Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex and Union counties and can switch to electric to go through the tunnel to Manhattan, making the one-seat ride possible.  Ten trains are part of the current pilot program.

The Raritan Valley Rail Coalition, joined by a coalition of 30 mayors of towns along the line, seeks to ultimately achieve a full one-seat ride Manhattan service on the Raritan Valley line.

“We are a few steps away from getting peak hour access to the one-seat ride,” Freeholder Palmer said, “but this is our number-one, long-term objective.  We’ve been working on this for 15 years and now that we have dual locomotives, we’ll continue to push for this.”

Currently the off-peak weekday direct trains arrive in New York between 10 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.  For departure times from the High Bridge, Raritan and other stations going eastbound, and from Penn Station going westbound, visit http://bit.ly/OneSeatRide 

For more information on the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition, visit their website at http://www.raritanvalleyrail.com/   

Questions: Contact Ken Wedeen, 908-231-7021

Members of the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition (RVRC) are pleased with this week’s announcement from NJ Transit that one-seat ride service to New York’s Penn Station will be expanded to evenings after 8 p.m., starting this fall.

“One-seat ride service during off-peak weekday hours on the Raritan Valley line has been received very positively since it was launched in March,” said Somerset County Freeholder Peter S. Palmer, who chairs the rail coalition.  “We are very proud of the working relationship we have established with NJ Transit and the evening service is a very important second step of getting increased one-seat ride access using the new dual locomotives.”

“Union County’s Freeholders welcome NJ Transit’s cooperation in expanding this train service to New York,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, a Trustee of the RVRC.  “We have a lot of riders who will benefit from a shorter ride into New York City, and we’ll keep working with the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition to make this rail service easier and faster.”

NJ Transit has dual-mode locomotives that operate as diesels through Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex and Union counties and can switch to electric to go through the tunnel to Manhattan, making the one-seat ride possible.  Ten trains are part of the current pilot program.

The Raritan Valley Rail Coalition, joined by a coalition of 30 mayors of towns along the line, seeks to ultimately achieve a full one-seat ride Manhattan service on the Raritan Valley line.

“We are a few steps away from getting peak hour access to the one-seat ride,” Freeholder Palmer said, “but this is our number-one, long-term objective.  We’ve been working on this for 15 years and now that we have dual locomotives, we’ll continue to push for this.”

Currently the off-peak weekday direct trains arrive in New York between 10 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.  For departure times from the High Bridge, Raritan and other stations going eastbound, and from Penn Station going westbound, visit http://bit.ly/OneSeatRide

For more information on the Raritan Valley Rail Coalition, visit their website athttp://www.raritanvalleyrail.com/

Questions: Contact Ken Wedeen, 908-231-7021

Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak (C) welcomed members of Boy Scout Troop 330, Girl Scout Troops 42034 and 40454 and Law Explorer Post 629, all of Linden, to the Union County Administration Building in Elizabeth during a visit as part of the annual Scouts in Government Day. They were joined by Linden Councilwoman Michele Yamakaitis (R).  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for personal documents will be available on Saturday, May 10, at Alcatel-Lucent in New Providence.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft and eliminate clutter in their homes,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak, liaison to the Solid Waste Advisory Council. “It is a cost-effective way to assist our recycling efforts and it ties in with Union County’s other Go Green Initiatives.”

The May 10th shredding event will take place at the Alcatel-Lucent Technologies facility, located at 600 Mountain Avenue in New Providence. NEXCUT Shredding of Elizabeth will be shredding documents at the site from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. The shredding event will end before 1 p.m. if the shredding truck reaches capacity.

All Union County residents are eligible to use the paper-shredding service. In an effort to accommodate everyone, there is a limit of four, 10-pound bags or boxes per person. Documents should not be bound. Please remove plastic binders and paperclips. Paper that is wet/damp will not be accepted. Residents should continue to recycle non-confidential papers and magazines with their municipal recycling program.

Documents are put into 96-gallon containers provided by the shredding company. The items are then dumped onto a conveyor belt and shredded on site. Participants are welcome to view the shredding process via a closed-circuit television. The shredded documents are then recycled, shipped to paper mills and used as pulp. The next shredding event will take place Wednesday, May 14, at the DPW facility in Union.

The mobile shredding program is paid for through New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Recycling Enhancement Act Grant Funds. For more information about future events or directions please call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889 or visit us online atwww.ucnj.org/recycle .

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UNION, NJ – Artist residents of Union County who are 60 years of age or older are invited to participate and exhibit an original work of art in the annual Union County Senior Citizens Art Exhibit. Sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, the exhibit is open to entrants who are either amateur/non-professional or professional in status.

“We have some amazing senior artists in Union County, and it’s always a pleasure to see their work,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board.

The artwork will be displayed in the Atrium of the Elizabethtown Gas Company, Liberty Hall Center, 1085 Morris Ave., Union, from June 1 to July 13. An artists’ reception is scheduled for Wednesday, June 11, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Each artist may submit one work that has been completed within the last three years. The deadline for entry is Wednesday, May 21. Entrants may be either amateur/non-professional or professional in status. Any person who meets at least two of the following criteria is considered professional: a) sold the type of art entered in the exhibition through commercial channels; b) exhibited in a professional gallery; c) held professional membership in a guild or association.

Following are the 11 categories of eligible work: oil, acrylic, watercolor (includes gouache); pastel(including chalk, charcoal and oil pastel); print (such as etching, engraving, lithograph, woodcut, monoprint, monotype, silkscreen); drawing (including pencil, pen, ink, graphite, and markers); mixed media (combines two or more media, not one of which clearly predominates; includes collage and assemblage); sculpture (designed in three dimensions, carved or constructed in any medium, abstract or figurative, painted or unpainted); craft (one-of-a-kind creations only, no craft kits or molds); computer imagery (artwork created by computer only, using a pixel-based painting or graphics program, such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator or Corel Painter); and photography. Please note:  photos taken with a digital camera, digitally-altered photos, and images made using a scanner must be entered in the Photography category.

Three professional artists will judge the entries. Awards will go to first, second, third place and honorable mention winners in each category.  First place winners in all categories go on to compete in September at the New Jersey State Senior Citizens Art Show which will take place at the Meadow Lakes retirement community (www.meadowlakesonline.org) in East Windsor.

Guidelines require that hanging artwork, crafts and photographs must be no more than 36 inches and no less than 11 inches in height and width, including matting, from outer edges of the frame.  Standing sculptures or 3-D crafts may not exceed 18 inches in height, width or depth, including the base. All works must be properly labeled and delivered “show-ready” with screw eyes and wiring ready for hanging. Where necessary, pictures must be protected with glass, Plexiglas, Mylar or other clear material. Plexiglas is strongly recommended on pieces over 24 inches.

For a copy of the application, call Nicole DeAugustine, Senior Art Show Coordinator, at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 908-558-2550, or email culturalinfo@ucnj.org.  Relay users dial 711. Mail completed applications to 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202; or send a fax to 908-558-2652 on or before Wednesday, May 21.

 

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Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak (2nd R) and (from L) Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski, Linda Carter and Angel G. Estrada cut the ribbon officially opening the new Loop playground in the Watchung Reservation. For more information about Union County Parks visithttps://ucnj.org/community/Parks-Community-Renewal/parks-facilities/parks. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Mountainside, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation are pleased to  offer a  lecture, “Butterflies, Beauty, Grace and Drama,” for adults, 18 years and older, on Wednesday evening,  May 7,  from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. at Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside.

Dr. Jeffrey Glassberg, author of “A Swift Guide to Butterflies of North America,” will present a slide-illustrated lecture on the diversity and dazzling beauty of butterflies. You’ll discover the importance of butterflies to the environment and also find out how you can create your own butterfly garden and increase the world’s population of butterflies.

The fee for this program is $10 per person for Union County residents and $12 for out-of-county participants. Pre-registration is required as space is limited. Walk-ins are welcome if space permits. For additional information about this and other programs or upcoming events at Trailside, call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside Nature and Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Mountainside, NJ – Discover the importance of butterflies – such as the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail –to the environment and to people at Trailside Nature & Science Center on Wednesday, May 7, from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. Adults, ages 18 and older, are invited to join Dr. Jeffrey Glassberg, author of “A Swift Guide to Butterflies of North America,” for a slideshow and lecture on the diversity and beauty of these dazzling insects. The fee for this program is $10 per person for Union County residents and $12 for out-of-county residents. Pre-registration is required as space is limited; walk-ins are welcome if space permits. For additional information about this and other programs or upcoming events at Trailside, call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside Nature & Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

 

Union County Freeholder Alexander Mirabella (C) presents a resolution to Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr in honor of the borough’s 25th Anniversary Celebration of Earth Day. They are joined by (from left) Fanwood Councilmen Tom Kranz and Kevin Boris, John Celardo of the Fanwood Historic Preservation Commission and Council President Russell Huegel. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – Enjoy your Mother’s Day in a special way! Union County’s Watchung Stable offers two Mother’s Day guided trail rides on Sunday, May 11, at 9:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., for everyone 9 years of age or older.

“The Watchung Reservation is a 2,000-acre park which offers everyone a chance to experience the natural beauty of a forest, right in Mountainside! Horseback riding in the Watchung Reservation is a real treat,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “You see so much of the park as well as get some fresh air and exercise.”

You must register in advance and in-person for the Mother’s Day rides. Payment is required at the time of registration. The cost for a Union County resident is $32 per person and $45 for out-of-county participants. No experience is necessary; these rides are held at a walking pace only. After each ride, the Watchung Stables Auxiliary will provide light refreshments in the Watchung Stable assembly room.

Watchung Stable also regularly offers guided trail rides that are held on Saturdays at 1:00 and 2:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. Visitors are accommodated on a first come, first served basis, weather permitting. Experience is not required. The cost of a trail ride is the rental fee: $32 in-county; $45 for out-of-county riders.

Private trail rides are also available for individuals or parties up to approximately 15 people. The cost is the rental fee plus an additional $32 for the private instructor. These rides are scheduled at mutually convenient times on weekdays and weekends. Please call to schedule your ride today.

The trail rides and Mother’s Day Rides are held at Watchung Stable, located at 1160 Summit Lane in Mountainside. Office hours are 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.

For further information, call (908) 789-3665 during the normal office hours or email questions tostablequestions@ucnj.org.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak (R) and Freeholders Linda Carter (L) and Alexander Mirabella (2nd R) present 12-year-old Zachary Brooks of Summit with a resolution commending and thanking him for his efforts to raise awareness about autism. They are joined by his parents, Scott and Elisa Brooks. Zachary’s twin brother, Jack, has autism. The Freeholder Board also declared April as Autism Awareness Month in Union County. For more information about Autism Awareness Month, visit autismspeaks.org.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)