Freeholder Vernell Wright, a cancer survivor, delivered this inspired speech in her hometown of Union Township to participants in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life fundraiser.
Letter sent to Mayors of all 21 towns to apply for 15-passenger vehicle to provide senior transportation
UNION COUNTY—-The Union County Freeholder Board today announced that letters have been sent out to all 21 Mayors of Union County inviting them to apply for a 15-seat passenger van provided by the County as part of Chairman Bruce H. Bergen’s “Seniors in Motion” initiative for 2016.
The initiative, which was last implemented in 2001, will provide municipalities that request it, with a passenger van (purchased by the County) for senior transport in the Fall.
“Seniors are a growing segment of the Union County population and we remain committed to providing services to assist them,” said Freeholder Chairman Bergen. “They are an asset to our community as a whole and continue to shape our County in a positive way.”
Participating municipalities will keep the vehicle for its lifetime, and will be responsible for the provision of insurance, vehicle maintenance and provision of qualified drivers who hold a Commercial Drivers’ License (CDL). Some municipalities that participated in the 2001 initiative, had maintained their aging vehicles, and contacted the County about renewing the initiative this year.
Bergen declared 2016 as “the year of the Senior,” announcing the “Seniors in Motion” program and “Senior Focus” initiative, dedicated to improving and enhancing senior centers throughout the County.
Additionally, Union County’s existing Paratransit system will continue to provide rides, at minimal cost, for transportation to medical treatments and other related activities. The Paratransit fleet can accommodate those in wheelchairs and walkers and makes regularly scheduled trips to the Lyons VA Medical Center and the East Orange VA Medical Center.
Mayors wishing to participate in the “Seniors in Motion” initiative, should send a letter of interest by July 18th to:
Union County Administration Building
Attn: D. Saba, Office of the Director
Union County Department of Human Services, 2nd floor
10 Elizabethtown Plaza
Elizabeth, NJ 07207
For any questions, please contact the Office of the Director, Department of Human Services, at (908) 527-4808.
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Bio-Blitz 2016
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Union County, NJ – In honor of National Flag Day, Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi reminds residents that torn or tattered American flags may be dropped off at her offices in Elizabeth and Westfield for proper retirement.
“Each year, we affirm the sentiment of Flag Day by reminding Union County residents of the United States Flag Code, which calls for a tattered or worn flag to be disposed in a manner consistent with its role as the symbol of our nation,” said Rajoppi.
National Flag Day is held every year on June 14, as part of National Flag Week.
Union County residents can bring flags that are no longer fit for display to the County Clerk’s offices any day of the year during regular business hours for proper retirement.
Ms. Rajoppi also noted that on June 13, flags in Union County were lowered to half-mast in support of the Orlando community, in the aftermath of a mass shooting at a popular LGBT nightclub.
“Throughout our nation’s history, the American flag has been the symbol of liberty, justice, and solidarity in times of trial,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “Our flag reflects a deep well of emotion, and I am proud to work with our local veterans organizations to help ensure that the lifespan of every flag concludes in a manner that reflects its role in our shared consciousness as a nation.”
National Flag Day was first officially affirmed by presidential proclamation in 1916, two years after the start of World War I. In 1949, shortly after the end of World War II, an Act of Congress designated June 14 of each year as National Flag Day.
Flags for retirement may be left with staff at the County Clerk’s main office in the Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, Room 115, in Elizabeth; and at the County Clerk’s Annex in the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield.
The Elizabeth office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Westfield office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
For more information about the Union County Clerk’s flag retirement collection program, please call 908-527-4787. For all County Clerk services ucnj.org/county-clerk.
For a directory of veterans services in Union County, including a list of local VFW posts, visit ucnj.org/hero.
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The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that the next mobile paper-shredding program for personal, confidential documents will visit Scotch Plains on Sunday, June 26.
“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft by providing a convenient way to shred their confidential documents,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen. “It promotes our County recycling efforts and ties in with Union County’s other green initiatives.”
The June 26th shredding event will take place at the Union County Vo-Tech Schools campus in Scotch Plains, 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. NEXCUT Shredding of Elizabeth will be shredding personal documents from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. The 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. This is a garbage-free event so please bring your documents in paper bags if at all possible. Plastic bags and boxes will be returned. 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 on Thursday, July 21, at Rahway River Park in Rahway.
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 Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889 or visit us online at www.ucnj.org/recycle .
La Junta de Legisladores del Condado de Union anuncia que la trituradora ambulante visitará la ciudad de Scotch Plains el 26 de junio .
“Este servicio ayuda a los residentes del Condado de Union a deshacerse de papeles viejos y documentos personales que a la vez pueden ayudarles a evitar el robo de identidad,” dice el Legislador Presidente Bruce H. Bergen. “También es una forma de ayudar al Condado en su esfuerzo de limpiar el medio ambiente y continuar con la Iniciativa de Go Green (Mantener Verde) el medio ambiente.”
El evento del 26 de junio se llevará a cabo en el Union County Vo-Tech en Scotch Plains, en 1776 Raritan Rd. La Compañia NEXCUT Shredding de Elizabeth estará presente de 9:00 a.m. a 1:00 p.m.
Todos los residentes del Condado pueden usar el servicio. Se les pide a los participantes que preparen los documentos antes de llevarlos, quitándole las precillas. Por favor deben traer solamente lo que contenga información importante o confidencial. Las revistas y papeles sin importancia se pueden reciclar semanalmente en su municipalidad. Hay un límite de 4 cajas o bolsas plásticas de 10 libras cada una por persona.
Los documentos son puestos en contenedores de 96 galones que la compañia proveé. Luego se vacían en una cinta transportadora y pasan a la trituradora. Los participantes pueden quedarse a ver el proceso a través de una televisión de circuito cerrado. Los documentos destruídos son reciclados y enviados a los molinos de papel. El próximo evento tendrá lugar el jueves 21 de Julio en el Rahway River Park.
Este programa ha sido pagado con fondos del Departamento de Protección Ambiental y Mejoras de Reciclaje. Para obtener más información pueden llamar al (908) 654-9889 o visitar la página www.ucnj.org/recycle
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Margaret Haegi’s 100th Birthday
Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen celebrates Margaret Haegi’s 100th birthday along with Clark Lagemann, Senior VP of Operations for the Westfield Area YMCA and Ann Marie Patterson YMCA Aquatics instructor who leads a class Margaret still attends 3 times a week.
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Law Enforcement Torch Run
Members of the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Corrections Department and Public Safety Department, including County Police, participated in this year’s Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics of New Jersey. More than 3,000 law enforcement officers participate in the annual Torch Run, including County Police and Sheriff’s Officers. The race carries the “Flame of Hope” torch that ignites the Opening Ceremony of Summer Games.
We join with the nation in mourning, in outrage, and in a renewed commitment to honor the rich diversity that makes our country great. Our shared history has made America a shining light of progress, sometimes slow, sometimes halting, but always on the path of embracing equality, dignity and respect for all. Nothing will ever change that. Our strength lies in our power to choose, and we choose to celebrate all of humanity.
Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to announce the return Shakespeare in the Park featuring six free performances of Shakespeare’s irresistible romantic comedy Twelfth Night at parks throughout Union County this summer during July and August.
“Shakespeare is an icon of English literature whose magnificent manipulation of the English language transcends time,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “This summer’s tour of Twelfth Night in our parks provides an opportunity for residents of all ages to experience the most remarkable storyteller the world has ever known.”
Featuring the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s Next Stage Ensemble, Twelfth Night is a story of mistaken identity, concealed truth, and comic revelation.
The summer tour of this charming comedy kicks off at Meisel Avenue Park in Springfield on Sunday, July 17 at 2 p.m.
Additional performances include:
Sunday, July 24 at Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield at 2 p.m.
Wednesday, July 27 at Raymond Wood Bauer Promenade (Amphitheater) in Linden at 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 31 at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside at 1 p.m.
Friday, August 5 at Rahway River Park in Rahway at 7 p.m.
Monday, August 8 at Oak Ridge Park in Clark at 7 p.m.
Admission is free to each of the six performances.
Pack a picnic and bring a blanket or lawn chairs and head out to Union County parks to enjoy Next Stage Ensemble’s abridged 75-minute performance of this time-honored story of mistaken identities, bewildering desires, practical jokes, and bawdy merriment – all in the name of love.
Rich in song and music, Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare’s most popular romantic adventures. In the words of the Bard himself, “If music be the food of love, play on.”
After a tragic shipwreck, Viola finds herself washed ashore on the beach of Illyria, having lost her twin brother Sebastian in the storm. Masquerading as a young boy, Viola enters the service of Duke Orsino, who is in love with the lady Olivia. The Duke charges the disguised Viola to help him win Olivia’s hand. Olivia, in pure Shakespearean style, falls in love with the disguised Viola who, in turn, has fallen in love with the Duke! Combine this wonderful and charming romantic comedy with the hysterical figures of Malvolio, Sir Andrew Aquecheek and Sir Toby Belch, and you have one of Shakespeare’s most riotous comedies of mistaken identity!
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. The troupe tours to various locations throughout the state – including libraries, retirement homes and community centers.
Now in its 54th season, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is an independent, professional theatre company located on the Drew University campus. One of the leading Shakespeare theatres in the nation, serving 100,000 adults and children annually, it is New Jersey’s largest professional theatre company dedicated solely to Shakespeare’s canon and other world classics. Through its distinguished productions and education programs, the company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of the classics for contemporary audiences.
For more information or for a complete listing of summer events visit ucnj.org/calendar.