County of Union, New Jersey

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados speaks to candidates interested in full-time positions for employment at Blue Apron during an informational session at the Workforce Innovation Business Center at the Mills at Jersey Gardens Mall in Elizabeth.

Blue Apron (www.blueapron.com) delivers fresh, proportioned ingredients that are used in accompaniment with recipes for home-made meals. The company is looking to fill 500 full-time positions in Linden.

An informational session will be held for interested candidates at the Innovation Center’s offices at the Mills at Jersey Gardens Mall, 651 Kapkowski Road, in Elizabeth on February 10th, from 2-5 p.m. Prospective candidates must be Union County residents and should first register online at www.ucnj.org/job-event to secure a spot. Anyone with further questions can call the Innovation Business Center at 908-355-4444 during regular business hours.

The Workforce Innovation Business Center is a partnership between the Freeholder Board, the Workforce Development Board and Union County College. Vice Chairman Sergio Granados is the Freeholder Liaison to the Workforce Development Board.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce a series of Trailside Talks and a Teacher Training Workshop for adults as part of its winter educational programs at the Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside. A new online registration system designed to make access to our Parks and Recreation services easy and convenient has been adopted.  Register online at www.ucnj.org/trailside and create an account and password.  Pre-registration is recommended.   Walk-ins are welcome as space permits.

“Trailside is a great destination throughout the year and these educational programs provide the perfect opportunity to experience nature in winter,” notes Freeholder Chairman, Bruce H. Bergen.

On Tuesday, March 14 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., The American Historical Theatre offers a compelling theatrical re-enactment, made possible in part by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.   “Theodore Roosevelt: American in the Arena” recreates the time when President McKinley was assassinated in 1901, and Vice President Theodore Roosevelt bounded into Washington, D. C as the youngest President in history.   His vigorous persona helped catapult the U.S. into the new century.  His accomplishments were plentiful and diverse: War hero to Nobel Peace Prize winner, naturalist to imperialist.  This is a free program, donations are appreciated.

An early spring lecture entitled, “Public Gardens of New Jersey,” is planned for Tuesday March 21, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.  This power point tour of more than 20 public gardens in New Jersey, is an inviting glimpse into the Garden State Gardens Consortium.   Michael Gross, Director of the Sister Mary Grace Burns Arboretum, offers commentary on each garden, covering their location, history, highlights of their plant collections and featured programs.    The gardens in the consortium include former estates, national historic landmarks, county and municipal parks, museums and universities.  The fee is $10 for Union County residents and $12 for out of county residents.     

In addition, a special program of interest for bird lovers entitled “The World of Birds Around Us” is offered for families on Saturday, March 25 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.  Pete  Bacinski, a retired NJ Audubon Birds Program Director, introduces his audience to the world of backyard birds here in New Jersey, and explains how you get hooked on bird watching, along with its benefits and challenges.   A power point presentation illustrates the variety and beauty of our local avian population.  The program is recommended for adults with children ages 10 and older.  The fee is $10 for Union County residents and $12 for out of county residents. 

“Healthy Water, Healthy People,” a teacher training workshop will be offered on Thursday, March 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  The workshop encourages the investigation of the connections between water quality, the environment and human health.  This advanced workshop is best suited for educators teaching grades 6 -12, who have taken a Project WET workshop and who have basic water chemistry background.  Participants receive six NJDOE professional development credits.  Morning refreshments are provided.  Bring lunch. This program is for adults 18 years and older.  The fee is $20 and the curriculum guide is included.                

For more information about these programs or other activities at Trailside, please 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 facility of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation.

Union County Freeholder Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski met with Jardine Academy Principal Cynthia Isaksen, YMCA Executive Director Rodger Koerber, YMCA Art Instructor Rachel Jameson and students David V. and Carlos R. at the Jardine Academy in Cranford for during an art class for students sponsored by a Union County Heart Grant.

The HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) grant program recognizes the importance of culture and the arts for economic development and quality of life. It was established by the Freeholder Board in 1998 to support programming that connects Union County residents with innovative projects related to history, the arts and humanities.

The Jardine Academy is operated by the Cerebral Palsy League and provides elementary and secondary education for children and young adults, ages 3-21, with multiple disabilities.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Elizabeth, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present a selection of artworks from the “Art from the Heart” fine arts program. The exhibition is a partnership between The Visual Arts Center of NJ and Sage Eldercare in Summit, NJ. The Freeholders Gallery is located on the 6^th floor of the Union County Administration Building, Elizabethtown Plaza, in downtown Elizabeth. Gallery hours are 9 am to 5 pm, weekdays. The exhibit will be displayed through February 14, 2017.

“We’re pleased to display these lovely works of art, that celebrate the power of the human spirit and demonstrate that people can create fine art at any age,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Advisory Board.

In partnership with SAGE Eldercare, the Art from the Heart program serves Spend-a-Day seniors through weekly arts workshops conducted by an art therapist. Through engagement with the creative process, Art from the Heart provides benefits to participants including increased self-esteem and mental acuity. Now in its 16th year, Art from the Heart is made possible in part by a HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. 

The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is dedicated exclusively to viewing, making and learning about contemporary art, comprising a renowned studio art school and a thriving education, exhibition and programming schedule. Its service mission includes a commitment to creating access to the arts for a range of constituents, from at-risk children and youth to people with special needs to senior adults. To learn more about Art Center programs, visit www.artcenternj.org or call 908-273-9121.su

SAGE Eldercare supports the independence, well-being and quality of life of older adults, their families and their caregivers, through the provision of client-centered health, social and support services. SAGE is proud to offer a wide range of programs and services that support seniors in the challenges they face during the later stages of life. Serving approximately 7,000 people annually, SAGE is one of the oldest eldercare agencies in New Jersey, and one of the few nonprofit eldercare agencies in the United States offering comprehensive services under one roof. For more information about SAGE, visit www.sageeldercare.org or call 908-273-5550.

For further information, or to learn more about exhibiting at the Freeholders Gallery, contact the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202; telephone, 908-558-2550; or email culturalinfo@ucnj.org. NJ Relay users may dial 711.

The Thursday, February 2, 2017 Freeholder Agenda Setting Meeting has been cancelled and is rescheduled to be part of a double meeting next week on Thursday, February 9, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders reminds honorably discharged veterans that they will benefit from a new state tax cut that became effective in January 2017.

“When veterans file their state income tax next year they will be able to take the new $3,000 annual tax exemption,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “This is a modest but important recognition of service for the Union County residents who have served our country with honor.”

The new exemption applies to income earned in 2017. Veterans with honorable discharges or who were released from service under honorable circumstances will be able to include it in their 2018 filing.

“The new exemption does not replace or duplicate other tax benefits that veterans currently receive, so it will provide some much-needed additional relief for households on a budget,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, who is the liaison to the Human Services Advisory Board.

The new exemption for veterans was part of a five-item tax cut package that also covered sales and estate taxes, retirement income and the Earned Income Tax Credit.

More information about the new exemption for veterans is available from the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, at state.nj.us/treasury.

Chairman Bergen encouraged veterans seeking other programs and resources to visit UC-HERO, the County’s new online directory for veterans, at ucnj.org/uc-hero.

“Veterans in need of additional assistance can also contact the Union County Office of Veterans Affairs, by calling 908-659-7407,” said Bergen. “Please don’t hesitate to call if you need a helping hand.”

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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.

Workforce Innovation Center to hold informational sessions for Blue Apron on Feb. 1st and 10th at Mills at Jersey Gardens Mall in Elizabeth

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the County’s Workforce Innovation Business Center is recruiting qualified Union County residents to fill 500 full-time positions for employment at Blue Apron in Linden.

“We welcome Blue Apron to Union County, and thank them for their efforts in working with us to identify residents for employment,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “This is a unique service that provides nutritional meals in a convenient way for consumers.”

Informational sessions will be held for interested candidates at the Innovation Center’s offices at the Mills at Jersey Gardens Mall, 651 Kapkowski Road, in Elizabeth on February 1^st and 10^th, from 2-5 p.m. Prospective candidates must be Union County residents and should first register online at www.ucnj.org/job-event  to secure a spot. Anyone with further questions can call the Innovation Business Center at 908-355-4444 during regular business hours.

“Union County is a great place to do business, and our investment through the Workforce Innovation Business Center continues to pay dividends for our residents,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, who is the Freeholder Liaison to the Workforce Development Board. “We thank Blue Apron for giving preference to Union County residents, and we look forward to helping this company and many other companies throughout Union County reach their hiring goals.”

Blue Apron (www.blueapron.com) delivers fresh, proportioned ingredients that are used in accompaniment with recipes for home-made meals. The starting rate is $13 and rises depending upon experience and the position. In addition to entry-level, there are a variety of supervisor and managerial positions available. Blue Apron has employment available in three departments: the Kitchen, packing, shipping and receiving areas.

Union County Freeholders Linda Carter and Mohamed S. Jalloh present a resolution to Lee Starks of Plainfield, owner of the Plainfield Boxing Academy, congratulating and commending him for all his time and tremendous effort put forth to benefit the youth of Plainfield. Starks’ aim is to keep local youth off the streets by offering underprivileged children boxing lessons and fitness classes after school and during school vacations at his gym. The program is also intended to reduce crime and urban violence.

In an effort to raise funds to support the program for the children, Lee ran the 100-mile Devil Dog Ultra Marathon on December 17-18, 2016.  He finished in 30 hours, 43 minutes and 43 seconds, making it to the finish line ahead of the 32 hour cut-off despite the sleet and rainy conditions.  There were 250 runners and only 47 completed the race and Lee placed 35th overall.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholders Linda Carter and Alexander Mirabella presented resolutions to members of Team Orange from the Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program (UC STEP) congratulating them on winning the Civic Engagement Challenge of 2016 UC STEP. They were joined by Union County Economic Development Director Amy Wagner and Deana Mesaros of the Department of Economic Development.

UC STEP was created to provide high school students the opportunity to develop a countywide community service around a topic they feel is important, while teaching them leadership and personal growth skills and responsibility within their communities.

A total of 195 sophomores and junior high school students from 21 high schools throughout Union County participated in the annual program, which took place in December 2016 at Kean University in Union.

Team Orange’s campaign “Kans for Kids” is a collection project that focuses on the gathering nutritious canned items that they turned into “canstruction.”  The structure building competition is the finale of the project as each strived to have the best looking display. All proceeds benefit the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

Team Orange members attend the following high schools:  Arthur L. Johnson High School, Cranford High School, David Brearley High School, Governor Livingston High School, Linden High School, John E. Dwyer Technology Academy, Jonathan Dayton High School, Plainfield High School, New Providence High School, Rahway High School, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, Union County TEAMS Charter School, Union County Vocational-Technical High School and the Barack Obama Academy for Academic & Civic Development.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/ County of Union)