County of Union, New Jersey

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders today cut the ribbon on a new playground/sprayground in Warinanco Park in Elizabeth. The new facilities are located across from the Boat House and include the playground, sprayground (which has more than 100 spray jets) and is the seventh sprayground to open in the County parks system; new basketball and volleyball courts and renovated restroom/concession buildings.  

1. to r. Anibal Sedano, of Elizabeth, with his grandson, Adam Sedano; Freeholder Sergio Granados; Freeholder Vice Chairman Bruce Bergen cutting ribbon; Freeholder Chris Hudak; Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski; Elizabeth Third Ward Councilman Kevin Kiniery; Parks Director Ron Zuber; Ellie Wilson-Newbury; and County Manager Al Faella.

Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi will open her offices in Elizabeth and Westfield on Saturday, May 30, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for voters seeking last-minute mail-in ballots. The office in Elizabeth at the Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, and the office in Westfield at the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, will be open as a public service for voters who choose the Vote-By-Mail option for the Primary Election to be held on Tuesday, June 2.

“Every voter should have the opportunity to cast his or her ballot in the primary election for state, county and municipal offices,” Ms. Rajoppi said. “We want to ensure that even those who have a last-minute change of plans can have a chance to vote.”

“By opening the Elizabeth office on the Saturday before the primary election, as we have done for the past 19 years, along with the Westfield office, which has regular Saturday hours throughout the year, we hope to assist those citizens whose work schedules or other commitments keep them from applying to Vote-By-Mail during the work week,” Rajoppi said.

“This option makes voting more accessible, particularly for senior citizens.”

Completed ballots will be kept in a secure lockbox under the control of the Union County Board of Elections, who will collect them for counting. The Clerk’s office has processed more than 1,000 mail-in ballots to date for the Primary Election.

To obtain a Vote-By-Mail application, voters may download the form at the County Clerk’s website: https://ucnj.org/vote-by-mail, but they must bring the completed application to either of the County Clerk’s offices on Saturday, May 30, between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., or on Monday, June 1, before 3:00 p.m. For more information, please contact the County Clerk’s office at 908-527-4996.

This alert over-rides all previous posts about the fire danger level(s)

UNION COUNTY, NJ – The Union County Nonprofit Consortium will hold its Second Annual Networking conference addressing a wide range of topics  on Thursday, May 28th, beginning 8:30 a.m. at L’Affaire Fine Catering in Mountainside. 

“The conference is designed to enable nonprofit organizations throughout Union County to collaborate with one another, strengthen their organizations, and ensure the provision of a strong social services safety net for the people of Union County,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh, who is speaking at the conference.  “The Freeholder Board is committed to working with the county’s nonprofits in providing essential services, and we appreciate the efforts of Sid Blanchard (Executive Director of Community Access Unlimited) for taking the lead to organize this important event.”

Through panel and roundtable discussions, the conference will address a wide range of topics, including: creating financial sustainability; governance and the role of agency Board members; strategic development; advocacy; funding and financing. A presentation will also be made by Linda Czipo, Executive Director of the Center for Nonprofits, that will examine the future of nonprofits.

“The mission of the Union County Nonprofit Consortium is to “promote the common good of vital services to Union County citizens by maintaining a strong system of social service agencies in Union County,” said Blanchard.  “The conference is an effort to engage agencies and create an ongoing dialogue.”

Any nonprofit agency in Union County is welcome to attend.  Registration deadline is May 21.  Registration fee is $35 and includes breakfast and lunch.  To register online, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/union-county-nonprofit-consortium-networking-conference-tickets-16221619300.  For further information call Community Access Unlimited at 908-354-3040.

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Mountainside – Families are invited to explore the Watchung Reservation as the sun goes down.  Join a Trailside Park Naturalist on May 29^th from 7:30-8:30 p.m. and enjoy a Dusk Hike looking for animal homes and hideouts of our nocturnal and crepuscular neighbors.  Pictured above, a raccoon peeks out from its tree cavity as it prepares to awaken for the night. The Dusk Hike program is recommended for adults with children age five and older.  Pre-registration is required, but walk-ins will be accommodated as space permits.  The fee is $6 for Union County residents and $7 for non-county residents.  Please call Trailside at 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside for additional information.   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.

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Locally grown flowers, veggie seedlings, shrubs, and deer-resistant varieties are among the hundreds of plants for sale at the 26^th annual Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale this Sunday, May 17, noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Demonstration Garden by the Trailside Nature and Science Center in the Watchung Reservation, in Mountainside. Admission is free, parking is free, and the Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer all of your gardening questions. Demos, garden tours, and activities for children included. For more information visit Union County online, ucnj.org.

(Photo: Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County)

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Connect with Union County on social media.

 

ELIZABETH, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi reminds registered voters that sample ballots for the Primary Election on Tuesday, June 2, may be reviewed on-line by visiting the County Clerk’s website or by using the new app, “Union County Votes.”

“As a former school board member, Mayor and Freeholder myself, I know the importance of an informed electorate,” Ms. Rajoppi said. “My website is designed to help voters familiarize themselves with local candidates in all 21 Union County municipalities. The free app, Union County Votes, is another way to access election information for those who use a mobile device.”

The names of candidates running for the Republican or Democratic nominations for the New Jersey General Assembly, County Clerk, County Freeholders and Municipal offices in the June 2 Primary Election are posted at www.ucnj.org/sample-ballots.

Information about the upcoming Primary Election also can be found by using the new app, “Union County Votes,” which is designed to help Union County residents connect quickly and easily with accurate information about voting and elections. The app is available for Apple and Android devices and it has active hyperlinks, phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

“The Union County Votes app enables voters to view sample ballots, find their polling place, request vote-by-mail ballot applications and voter registration forms,” Ms. Rajoppi added. “The app also provides information for people interested in becoming poll workers or running for office, including election filing dates and district maps.”

The County Clerk’s responsibilities include administering election laws within and for the County of Union and its 21 municipalities for primary, general, school board and special elections including acceptance of nominating petitions, designing ballots, mailing “Vote By Mail” ballots and tabulating voting results for the public record.

More information about sample ballots for the Primary Election can be obtained by calling the County Clerk’s Office at 908-527-4996 or by visiting the office at 2 Broad Street, Room 113, Elizabeth NJ 07207. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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(From 2^nd left) Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh, Freeholders Linda Carter and Alexander Mirabella welcomed Kristina Hahn (C), the Head of Consumer Package Goods at Google Inc, to the third annual Union County Women Mean Business (UCWMB) Summit at the Clubhouse at the Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth.

They were joined by Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (L) and Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi (2^nd R).

Hahn delivered the keynote address at the event that was designed to help women grow their business networks and build critical skills. UCWMB is an initiative of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright presents a resolution to Union Township Police Director Daniel Zieser in honor of National Police Week during the Township of Union’s Annual Police Awards ceremony. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Clark ShopRite, Krause Dental Care co-sponsor screening at Clark ShopRite on Saturday, May 16^th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Union County, NJ – In an effort aimed at promoting the early detection of oral cancer, the Union County Office of Health Management through the Chronic Disease Coalition of Middlesex and Union Counties have partnered with the Clark Township Health Department, Clark ShopRite and Dr. Kurt M. Krause, D.M.D. from Krause Dental Care in Cranford, New Jersey, to provide free oral cancer screenings.

In Union County, the Oral Cancer screening will take place at the Clark ShopRite, 76 Central Avenue in Clark, on Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All attendees will qualify to enter a drawing for a door prize courtesy of Clark Township Health Department.

“I’d like to thank all our partners involved in this screening for raising public awareness about reducing oral cancer risks,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Oral cancer screenings can save lives and are an effective means of cancer detection at an early, highly curable stage.”

Oral cancer is not a rare disease. Approximately 43,250 people will be diagnosed with oral cancer every year in the US. It kills one person every hour of every day, and over 115 new individuals will be diagnosed with it each day. The good news is that it can often be found early in its development, through a simple, painless, and quick screening. With early detection, survival rates are high and the side-effects from treatment are at their lowest.

Like other screenings you engage in, oral cancer screenings are an effective means of finding cancer at its early, highly curable stages. The Chronic Disease Coalition of Middlesex and Union Counties urge you to make oral cancer screening part of your annual health check-ups.

For more information about Oral Cancer Screening, please call the Union County Office of Health Management at 908-518-5620.

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