County of Union, New Jersey

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation are pleased to announce an exciting array of fall programs being offered at Trailside Nature & Science Center. 

“Autumn is the perfect time to get outside and appreciate the colors of the season and all that nature has to offer,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, “Trailside Nature and Science Center provides the perfect opportunity for adults and children of all ages to get outdoors in the fresh air and have fun learning about the natural world.”

Workshops are offered weekly from October through December.  Registrants sign up for the entire series or choose only the topics that interest them.  Visit www.ucnj.org/trailside to view the fall brochure and register online.

Parents with children up to age three can enjoy Toddler Time, a series of workshops that incorporate sensory hikes, stories, crafts and activities to acquaint adults and children with the natural world.  This popular series is offered weekly on Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Families will learn about bears, dinosaurs, owls, snowflakes and much more. 

For children, ages 3 or 4, with an adult, Trailside offers Two Of Us, an interactive program that encourages nature discovery through hikes and other indoor/outdoor activities with a parent. This program, offered on Tuesdays from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. or Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.  Among the many topics explored this autumn are creepy crawlies, turkeys, fall fun, discovering dinosaurs and prowling for owls. 

Small Fry DayS, a drop-off program for children ages 4-6, is designed to foster awareness and appreciation of the natural world through nature hikes, explorations and related activities.  Participants in this interesting and educational workshop series will learn how animals like chipmunks, grasshoppers and deer prepare for the winter as well as have fun searching for slugs, millipedes, beetles and other bugs under the rocks and logs of the forest.  On one of the many hikes, youngsters will search for buck rubs, animal tracks and other signs of our animal neighbors.  This program is offered on Tuesdays, from 9:45 to 11:00 a.m. or Wednesdays at 1:15 to 2:30 p.m.

Children in the 1st and 3rd grades can take part in Afterschool Explorations, a drop-off program series designed to acquaint children with nature explorations, hikes and outdoor activities.  Children involved in this workshop series meet on Thursdays at 3:30-4:45 p.m. This fall the group will have the opportunity to get their feet wet while searching for salamanders and investigating the stream for other aquatic animals. First to third graders can learn how to read a trail map and trail blazer, discover fascinating facts about the white-tailed deer and get a behind the scenes look at how the Trailside staff cares for the many fish, turtles, snakes and insects that live at Trailside.

Trailside’s fall programming begins the first week of October and continues through December 19; however, no workshops will be conducted during the Thanksgiving week.  Pre-registration is required and the fee per class is $10.00 per child for Union County residents and $12.00 per class for out-of-county residents.  For additional information about any of these children’s programs or about other upcoming programs and special events, please call 908-789-3670 or visit us on the web at 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.                               

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Contact: Mark Spivey, Union County Prosecutor’s Office 908-527-4621; mspivey@ucnj.org

Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28, has been charged with five counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer after an exchange of gunfire with police today, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park announced Monday. 

Rahami also is charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

At approximately 10:30 a.m. on Monday morning, a uniformed Linden police officer approached a man later identified as Rahami outside a bar on East Elizabeth Avenue, according to the investigation. At that time, Rahami immediately produced a handgun and shot the officer in the torso, striking him in his protective vest.

Additional patrol officers responding to the scene engaged Rahami in an exchange of gunfire that ended when Rahami was shot multiple times outside of an auto repair shop on East Elizabeth Avenue, several blocks west of where he was initially approached.

A handgun was recovered from Rahami at the scene. Rahami was immediately transported to a local hospital for treatment and has since undergone surgery. Neither the police officer who was struck by gunfire nor a second officer who was struck in the head by a fragment of a bullet suffered life-threatening injuries.

Bail for Rahami was set at $5.2 million by state Superior Court Judge Regina Caulfield.

This defendant was wanted for questioning in a federal investigation being led by the FBI regarding explosive devices found and detonated over the weekend in New Jersey and New York City. That investigation is continuing, and any media inquiries regarding it should be referred to the FBI’s Newark office at 973-792-3020.

Convictions on first-degree criminal charges are commonly individually punishable by 10 to 20 years in state prison, while second-degree charges typically result in terms of 5 to 10 years.

These criminal charges are mere accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The Union County Bomb squad, the Sheriff’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office responded last night in the safe handling of the bomb incident at the Midtown Train Station in Elizabeth.

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski and Vernell Wright, Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan and Union County Manager Alfred Faella joined local veterans at the Union County POW/MIA Remembrance Day ceremony outside the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. The guest speaker was Lieutenant Colonel Steven Brozak, USMC Retired. The annual event is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders to honor and remember prisoners of war and those missing in action (POW/MIA). The National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed each year on the third Friday of September. (Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Art and Music Gone Wild on Stage – Fun for the Whole Family

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to bring a sensory friendly performance of the exciting, interactive, and spectacular ARTRAGEOUS to the stage at the Union County Performing Arts Center on Sunday, October 2 at 3:00 p.m.

All tickets are $8 per person and can be purchased through the Union County Performing Arts Center at ucpac.org or by calling the Box Office at 732-499-8226.

“The series of sensory-friendly music, theater, and dance performances offer a relaxed and safe environment for audiences and are specially adapted to help reduce disturbances and increase access for children and adults of all abilities,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “The Freeholder Board is proud to partner with the visual and performing artists of Artrageous to bring this fun, interactive, family event to the community.”

ARTRAGEOUS! is the one of a kind interactive art and music experience that has CBS raving “Go see this show!” Giant works of art jump to life with amazing speed unveiling larger than life icons and masterpieces in just moments, all the while there is constant activity on stage, attracting your attention and delighting your senses with energy, spirit and action. Have all this live painting accompanied by amazing vocals, creative choreography, high energy live music with unforgettable audience interaction and you will have experienced a journey of wild inspiration and fun – its Artrageous.

For each of the performances in Union County’s Sensory Friendly Theatre series the theatre environment at the Union County Performing Arts Center is adjusted to provide a sensory-friendly, comfortable and judgment-free space that is welcoming for all families.

Autism Friendly Spaces implements the supportive atmosphere at each of the sensory-friendly performances. For more information on what to expect at a Sensory Friendly Theatre performance visit ucpac.org/sensory-friendly-theatre.

Additional support for the sensory-friendly performance of Artrageous is provided by CRBard Inc.

For more information or to purchase tickets call the Union County Performing Arts Center, 732-499-8226 or visit ucpac.org. The UCPAC Box Office, located at 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM and is also open late on Thursdays until 8:00 PM.

For information on additional Union County recreational programs for people with disabilities age five and up, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4781 or visit ucnj.org.

 

Union County Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski and Vernell Wright attend the mobile Aging Service Kiosk (ASK) information event at the Westfield Community Center where Michele Robinson of the Union County Division on Aging explains county programs to Florence Wetzel and her mother Marion Wetzel.

The ASK events are designed to provide residents with a convenient, friendly way to find out about services for the aging, and for their families and caregivers.

For more information about ASK and other programs of the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection, call 1-888-280-8226 toll free or visit online at ucnj.org.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholder Mohamed S. Jalloh joined Union County College President Dr. Margaret McMenamin and students at the opening of the college’s Hispanic Heritage Month and Hispanic Serving Institution Week Celebration at the Union County College Cranford campus. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski and Alexander Mirabella congratulate Olympian Sydney McLaughlin during the Union Catholic High School Sydney McLaughlin Recognition Event in Scotch Plains. McLaughlin, a senior at Union Catholic, qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles at the age of 16, and advanced to the semifinal round in the 400 hurdles at the Olympic Games in Rio last month.

This summer she became the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic track and field team since 1972.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that a series of free sessions titled “Helping your Child Succeed in School,” is available for parents to help their children build essential skills that lead to a fulfilling academic experience.

“The beginning of a new school year is the perfect time for parents to help their children establish productive habits that enable them to grow and thrive,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “This course is designed to ensure that parents are familiar with some of the tools and techniques that have proven to be effective.”

The sessions are offered through Parents in Action, a parent support group hosted by the Division of Youth Services of the Union County Department of Human Services.

The group will meet every Tuesday from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., from September 27 to November 1 at the Plainfield Family Success Center, located at 209 Berckman Street in Plainfield.

On site child care is available during the sessions and will be provided by Family Success Center staff.

The sessions and child care are both free but pre-registration is required.

To register online, visit the Division of Youth Services at ucnj.org/youth.

For more information call the Plainfield Family Success Center at 908-731-4272, or call the Youth Services Division at 908-558-2520.

 

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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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