County of Union, New Jersey

One of two defendants convicted of being responsible for the 2010 robbery and murder of a Plainfield taxi driver has been sentenced to 30 years in state prison for the crime, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park announced Monday.

Wallace Parrish, 23, must serve the entire 30-year term before becoming eligible for parole, according to terms set down Friday by state Superior Court Judge William Daniel.

The date was September 28, 2010 when Plainfield Police Division units rushed to the 200 block of Spooner Avenue in Plainfield to find 44-year-old Isidro Leonardo in his taxi suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

An intensive joint investigation by the Union County Homicide Task Force, the Plainfield Police Division, and the Union County Sheriff’s Office resulted in Parrish, a.k.a. “Wawa,” and 28-year-old Jonathan Morgan, a.k.a. “J-Rummy,” both confirmed members of Plainfield’s Sex Money Murder set of the Bloods street gang, being identified as suspects, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Caroline Lawlor, who prosecuted the case. Parrish was arrested in October 2010 and convicted following a five-week trial that ended in April 2013, while Morgan turned himself in to police in June 2011.

The investigation, which was spearheaded by Union County Prosecutor’s Office Lt. Jorge Jimenez and Sgt. Kevin Grimmer, determined that Parrish and Morgan called several Plainfield cab companies on the morning of Leonardo’s death with the intent of robbing a driver. Leonardo, an employee of Plainfield’s United Taxi and the father of two young sons, was the driver dispatched to pick up Parrish and Morgan before a robbery attempt turned violent, after which both fled the area.

Parrish later testified at the trial of Morgan, who was convicted by a jury in March 2015 and a month later sentenced to 45 years in state prison, with at least 38 years of that term to be served before the possibility of parole.

Union County Freeholders Angel G. Estrada, Sergio Granados and Vernell Wright joined Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage and Elizabeth Councilmen Manny Grova, Nelson Gonzalez, William Gallman and Carlos Torres and other officials and residents at the official opening of the redesigned Erxleben Center Pool in Elizabeth. The County of Union contributed $150,000 to the project from the Union County Open Space, Recreation & Historic Preservation Trust Fund through the Kids’ Recreation Trust Fund. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski (R) and Chrissy Szpond from the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife show turtles to Daniel Guerrero, 11, (L) of Westfield and Francisco Londono, 8, of Berkeley Heights during the 11th Annual Union County Bio-Blitz at the Watchung Reservation. Bio-Blitz is a 24-hour sampling of the flora and fauna in a particular location with the twin goals of studying the biodiversity of the area and making the public aware of that diversity. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ – The County of Union will sponsor a recycling event for electronic equipment on Saturday, June 27, so Union County residents can get rid of unwanted computers, televisions and other electronic equipment in an environmentally proper manner.

The special E-cycling event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the campus of Union County Vo-Tech Schools located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains.

All residents of Union County are eligible to participate at no cost. There is a limit of six electronic items per car.

“Old televisions, computer monitors, and other electronic devices are the source of a considerable amount of dangerous material, including lead, mercury, cadmium and PCBs – and it is unlawful to dispose of them with the regular garbage,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Up to 95 percent of most electronic appliances can be recycled. This is a responsible way to keep hazardous heavy metals out of our environment.”

Electronic equipment that will be accepted on June 27 includes computer monitors, hard drives, modems, keyboards, CPU’s, mice, printers, scanners, speakers, televisions, tablets and e-readers, VCR’s, fax machines, telephones, circuit boards, CD’s, DVD’s and video cassettes.

All that residents need to do is drive to the site with their unwanted electronic equipment. Workers at the site will unload the vehicles.

Pre-registration is not required for this special Saturday collection.

Refrigerators, washers and dryers, microwaves, and air conditioners will not be accepted, but they are accepted at Union County’s Scrap Metal Recycling Program.

A complete list of the materials that will be accepted on June 27 is available at the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning website: www.ucnj.org/recycle.

The electronics collection will be held rain or shine, for Union County residents only and not for businesses. Proof of Union County residency is required.

In addition to the special June 27 recycling event sponsored by the County of Union, there are local businesses as well as 14 municipalities that provide E-cycling opportunities for residents. Visit the website www.ucnj.org/recycle or call your municipal recycling coordinator for more computer and electronics recycling options.

An alternative drop-off program for recycling electronics equipment is available Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at Newtech Recycling, located at 600-A Apgar Drive, Somerset NJ 08873; 732-564-3110. Visit www.newtechrecycling.com .

For more information about recycling events, please call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908- 654-9889.

Vice Chairman Bruce Bergen gave welcoming remarks at the 3rd Annual Union County Fatherhood Initiative Conference. The conference was part of the National U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development call to action to strengthen the bond between fathers and their children.

Many workshops were held throughout the day including a Men’s Health Forum given by Dr. Barry S. Levinson of Trinitas Regional Medical Center and a Barbershop Talk, a dialogue about the culture that shapes today’s men, given by Reginald Williams. The event was sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

On Saturday, June 13th, Freeholder Angel G. Estrada was inducted into the Hispanic/Latino Alumni Council Society of Scholars for his long standing leadership in the Hispanic community. Freeholder Estrada’s long-time friend Dr. Orlando Edreira had the honor of presenting his tassels.

Freeholders Vernell Wright and Sergio Granados were also at the special event with Freeholder Wright presenting Freeholder Estrada with a resolution on behalf of the entire Union County Freeholder Board. The HLAC, which also celebrated its 15th anniversary, awarded four students with scholarships for their academic success. The students were Pablo V. Monteros, Maria L. Olaya, Karen P. Pina and Shakira K. Berroa.

The exhibit will be on display until July 13 at Liberty Hall Center which is located at 1085 Morris Avenue in Union. Viewing times are from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh (L) and Freeholder Alexander Mirabella present a check and certificate to students Billy McGloin, Jessica McGloin and Melissa McGloin who are representing Union Catholic High School. Union Catholic came in first place in the 2015 Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program (UC STEP) challenge. They are joined by Guidance Counselor Jennifer Dixon.

“Donate to Educate”- Schools Supplying Schools, was the county-wide UC STEP community service challenge undertaken by participating Union County high schools in 2015.

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.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for confidential personal documents will be available on Sunday, June 28, at the Union County Vo-Tech campus in Scotch Plains.

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

The June 28^th shredding event will take place at the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools campus in Scotch Plains, located at 1776 Raritan Road. 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 dumped onto a conveyor belt and shredded on site. Participants are welcome to view the shredding process via a closed-circuit television. Shredded documents are then recycled, shipped to paper mills and used as pulp. The next shredding event will take place Thursday, July 9, 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 Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889 or visit us online at www.ucnj.org/recycle .