The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders are happy to announce that tickets are now on sale for the Autumn Hayrides and Family Fun Around the Campfire.

The first event will take place on Friday, September 18, at Warinanco Park in the Boat House area. Hayrides beginning at 6:30 pm and run until 9:30 p.m.  Hayrides will include folks songs around the campfire, hot chocolate and marshmallows toasted over the fire.  Tickets must be purchased in advanced. There will be no tickets available at the event.

“We are pleased to add Warinanco Park as a site for this year’s Hayride and Family Around the Campfire experience,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh.  “This will help us kick off the fall season in our parks with fun for the entire family.”

Hayride tickets are available at three locations:

• Weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Union County Administration Building, Department of Parks and Recreation, 2nd Floor, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth
• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 8:30p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday
• Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence road, in Mountainside every day from noon to 5 p.m.

No tickets will be sold at the hayrides. So, please purchase your tickets in advance so you don’t get shutout. Seating for the hay rides is limited, and group sales are limited to 15 tickets.  The cost is $6 for Union County resident and $12 for out-of-county participants.

Hayrides and Campfires will also be held at Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside on three Fridays in October, the 2^nd, 9^th, and 16^th, also running from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. And on Sunday, October 4 at 3:30 p.m.

For further information you can call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900; or Trailside Nature and Science Center at 908-789-3670; or visit the Union County website at www.ucnj.org.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces free child safety seat inspection opportunities as new State law takes effect.

“If you have a baby or small child in your care, please come and take advantage of this free program, and make sure your safety seat is properly adjusted,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Our experts can help you get familiar with a new seat, and they can help you spot any problems with an older seat.”

New Jersey’s new child safety seat regulations take effect today, September 1, 2015. The new State law requires parents to adhere to American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations for child passenger safety. 

The proper use of child safety seats is one of the simplest and most effective methods available for protecting the lives of young children in the event of a motor vehicle accident.

Union County’s popular Child Safety Seat Inspection Program is open every Wednesday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. and is located at the Garwood Rescue Squad at 401 2^nd Avenue in Garwood.

On Saturday, September 19, as part of “National Seat Check Saturday” which is also the last day of “National Child Passenger Safety Week,” trained technicians from Union County’s Child Safety Seat Inspection Program will conduct child seat inspections at the Babies ‘R’ Us on Rt. 22 in Union, sponsored in part by AAA Northeast – NJ Division.

Certified child passenger safety technicians will check the car seat for proper installation and educate parents and guardians on using the seat correctly.

Under the new child passenger safety law:

• Children under age 2 and weighting less than 30 pounds must be secured in a rear-facing child safety seat that is equipped with five-point harness.
• Children between ages 2-4 and weighing up to 40 pounds must be secured in a child safety seat equipped with a five-point harness, either rear-facing (up to the height and weight limits of the seat) or forward –facing.
• Children between ages 4-8 and less than 57 inches tall (4’9”) must be secured in a forward-facing seat equipped with a five-point harness (up to the height and weight limits of the seat) or in a booster seat.
• Children ages 8 and older must use the vehicle seat belt. The safest place for children under 13 is the back seat.

Union County first launched the Child Safety Seat Inspection Program in 1999, in response to surveys showing that the overwhelming majority of child safety seats are improperly installed, even though most users are confident that they know the correct procedure.

Since 1999, approximately 50,000 Union County residents and visitors have used the Seat Inspection Program. It is staffed by personnel from the County’s Department of Public Safety, who are certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and by the organization SafeKids. The program is credited with saving at least one life, when a toddler survived a 2008 vehicle rollover shortly after the seat was properly adjusted by County personnel.

The child seat inspection program is provided as a public service by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Union County Police Department, New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, AAA Northeast – NJ Division, and the Garwood First Aid Squad.

For more information about Union County’s Child Safety Seat Inspection Program visit ucnj.org/child-safety-seats or call 908-789-6830.

UNION, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the 2015 Teen Arts Touring Exhibit is on display from August 28^th through September 25^th at the Connect One Bank, located at 2003 Morris Avenue in Union.

The exhibit consists of 60 pieces of art selected from more than 650 visual art works shown at the 2015 Union County Teen Arts Festival held in March at Union County College in Cranford. The annual event is administered by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Department of Parks and Community Renewal.

“The artwork in this exhibit is exceptional. The fact that the artists are teenagers makes the show even more outstanding,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “I encourage everyone to get out and see this fun, lively exhibit as it goes on tour throughout Union County.”

For information about the Teen Arts program contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth 07202; telephone (908) 558-2550. NJ Relay service users should call 711 or email culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

Catch the 2015 Union County Teen Arts Festival in action on YouTube.   

2015 TEEN ARTS EXHIBIT

The exhibiting students are:                                   

Clark

Mother Seton RHS 

Waverly Banks

Gabriella Luna

Cranford

Cranford HS 

Sabrina Huwang

Kristen Orsini

Naomi Lee

Cranford Achievement Program

Kelly Ryan

Nathaniel Reyes

Hillside Avenue School 

Alec Duerr

Orange Avenue School

Jacqueline Smith

Elizabeth

Abraham Lincoln School:  Valentina Cardenas

Benedictine Academy:  Angelika Zarzecka

Benjamin Franklin School:  Alma Cardona

Christopher Columbus School:  Kandy Torres

Dr. Orlando Edreira:  Christopher Cruz

Duarte-Marti School:  Roque Bahian

EHS-Edison Academy:  Rommel Varela

EHS-Dwyer Academy:  Theocita Allen

EHS-Halsey Academy:  Roger Veloz

EHS-Lower Academy:  Allison Marcias

EHS-Upper Academy 

Evelyn Altamirano

Catarina DaSilva

EHS-Jefferson Academy 

Briana Calderine

Inorys Vila

Andrea Arias

Elmora School:  Susej Monroy

iPrep Academy:  Carlyani DelValle

Marquis de Lafayette School:  Angelica Bautista

Madison-Monroe School:  Valentina Henao

Nicholas M. Butler School:  Najiyah Ishmael

Nicholas S. LaCorte School:  Noely Solorzano

Ronald Reagan Academy:  Vanessa Herrera

T.C. Reilly School:  Maria Dilandro

Victor Mravlag School:  Alexandra Riascos

William F. Halloran School:  Sadie Vizcaino

Woodrow Wilson School:  Geraldine Castano

Hillside           

Walter O. Krumbiegel MS 

Vanessa Ejiofor

Kenilworth                  

David Brearley HS:

Derek Hernandez

Timothy Balke

Salvatore Gorka

 Linden            

Linden HS : Adrianna Rendon

McManus MS : Patrycja Komajda

Soehl MS : Fatimat Mahmoud

Mountainside              

Deerfield MS : Emily Berkow

New Providence                   

New Providence HS 

Rebecca Pappas

Catherine Sander

New Providence MS 

Liana Hawkins

Plainfield                     

Plainfield Academy of Arts 

Gelinis Cepeda

Sebastian Nunez

Jeremy Medina

Queen City Academy 

Yousra Belgaid

Roselle           

Abraham Clark HS 

Agape Deleon

Mireya Lopez

Grace Wilday Jr. HS 

Ria Bhattacharya

Scotch Plains               

Union County Vo-Tech 

Samra Shakeel

Dana Tokarzewski

Julie Kim

Hillcrest Academy 

Alina Alvarez

Springfield                

FM Gaudineer MS

Sadi Lowy

Summit                        

Oratory Preparatory

Giovanni Martinetti

Paul Moyer

Union               

Union HS 

Lucero Lopez

Lianna Cardoso

LINDEN, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for personal documents will be available on Thursday, September 17, at the Recycling Center in Linden.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft and eliminate clutter in their homes,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. 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 Sept. 17^th shredding event will take place at the Linden Recycling Center, located at 2 Donaldson Place in Linden. 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 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 Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Westfield Memorial Pool.

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 .

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Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh joined Linden Mayor Derek Armstead in picking their top five favorite ‘Art Outside the Box’ artist submissions that will be featured on traffic control boxes at three Linden intersections. In the coming days, we will open up online voting for you to pick your top three favorites. Learn more about the Chairman’s Initiative at https://ucnj.org/artoutsidethebox/.

Union County, NJ – Union County 4-H Clubs are gearing up for a new season, and Union County students in grades 1-12 are invited to join the fun. Along with favorites like Archery, Cooking and Lego Robotics, Union County 4-H also offers a new Technology Club and a new Community Service Club.

To sign up for a club, meet the club leaders and find out more about 4-H activities, plan to attend this year’s annual 4-H Open House, set for Friday September 18 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Union County Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East in Westfield.

“Our 4-H Clubs encourage young people to connect with their community, develop leadership and organizational skills, and have a great time learning more about their favorite topics,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “The Freeholder Board is proud to support 4-H and its guiding principles of thoughtfulness, community service and healthy living.”

Union County 4-H Clubs are run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, supported in part by the Freeholder Board. The clubs belong to a 100-year American tradition established by the U.S Department of Agriculture by an Act of Congress, originally meant to help rural communities connect with useful information about agriculture and family health.

Over the years, 4-H has kept pace with the shift to urban and suburban life, using popular activities to help youngsters to engage in civic affairs and develop related skills such as teamwork and public speaking.

In Union County, the current 4-H slate includes modern clubs like Anime, Lego Robotics, S.T.E.M. and Fashion Design. The program also offers traditional favorites such as horticulture, cooking and archery.

Students can also join a Variety Club and explore topics of their own creation. For older students, 4-H offers membership in the Community Service Club, which plans and conducts community service programs throughout Union County.

4-H Clubs are open to boys and girls.  A materials fee of $10.00 per club ($5.00 per additional club in the same family) is payable at the Open House. Individual clubs may also have materials fees.

For more information about the Open House and this year’s lineup of 4-H Clubs contact Union County 4-H Agent James Nichnadowicz at 908-654-9854 or jnichnadowicz@ucnj.org, or visit online at ucnj.org/rce.

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Union County, NJ  –  The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that all five of the high schools comprising the Union County Vocational-Technical School District (UCVTS) have been included in the 2015 Newsweek top 500 Public Schools national survey, including four in the top 100.

In addition, six of the County’s 21 municipalities ranked among the top 100 “Best Places to Live” in New Jersey survey, published in the September 2015 print edition of New Jersey Monthly.

“Our UCVTS students, families and staff all deserve our respect and appreciation for this achievement,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “It is especially gratifying to see all that hard work recognized in the context of Newsweek’s new ‘beating the odds’ methodology, which underscores the importance of tapping the rich potential of all students, regardless of their economic background.”

The annual Newsweek top 500 Public Schools survey measures college readiness. In addition to its usual “absolute” performance list of the 500 highest-ranking schools, Newsweek also published a “Beating the Odds” list that recognizes the impact of socioeconomic disadvantage on conventional ranking systems.

“Our outstanding staff has strived to create a community that embraces young people who are eager to learn, share and make a difference,” said UCVTS Superintendent Peter Capodice. “This is a team effort and the results show: our students come from many different walks of life and when they leave this campus, they are prepared to take their place in the world.”

The New Jersey Monthly “Top 100 Towns” list includes Summit (#23), Cranford (#51), Westfield (#62), New Providence (#69), Clark (#73) and Berkeley Heights (#77). Summit and Westfield were also included in the magazine’s short list of 16 “Favorite Downtowns.”

“As a native of New Jersey I can testify that there are hundreds of great neighborhoods throughout our state. Having six of our municipalities on the New Jersey Monthly list – including two with special recognition – is a real mark of distinction for the whole Union County community,” said Jalloh. 

The 2015 UCVTS rankings for absolute performance in the Newsweek survey are:

4. Union County Magnet High School
5. Academy for Allied Health Sciences
6. Academy for Information Technology
7. Union County Tech
8. Academy for the Performing Arts

The rankings for “Beating the Odds in the Newsweek survey are:

23. Union County Magnet High School
24. Academy for Allied Health Sciences
25. Academy for Information Technology
26. Union County Tech
27. Academy for Performing Arts

The UCVTS campus is located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. Expanded and updated considerably within recent years, the campus includes five full-time high schools that incorporate intensive study within a vocational specialization and advanced, honors level academic coursework in a cooperative learning environment.

UCVTS students are selected from a diverse population of eighth grade students in each of the 21 school districts of Union County through a competitive application process.  For the 2014-2015 school year, approximately 38% of applicants to UCVTS were offered admission.

The Academy for Allied Health Sciences – AAHS exposes students to various health careers through medical related coursework in a learning community committed to high levels of professional, hands-on experiences.

The Academy for Information Technology – AIT students gain technological expertise with business integration in a curriculum that emphasizes professionalism and ethical practices in the dynamic workplace.

Magnet High School for Science, Mathematics and Technology – The Magnet High School is an engineering-based specialized academy that highlights critical thinking, problem solving, and leadership skills through a project based curriculum.

The Academy for Performing Arts – APA combines intensive study in theatre arts, dance, or technical theatre with rigorous academics culminating in a senior year at Kean University.

Union County Vocational-Technical High School – UC TECH students have the opportunity to select from a variety of vocational programs in high demand career fields including automotive technology, green construction technology, commercial art, criminal justice, cosmetology, and culinary arts, in addition to five specialized career academies: Exercise Physiology & Related Sciences, School of Design, Teacher Education Academy, School of Sustainable Sciences, and the newest program, Academy for Clinical Care Sciences. 

The application process for UCVTS begins each fall, when 8^th grade students residing in Union County attend a required information session at the campus in Scotch Plains. The first of several such sessions this fall will be on September 26. Students who are interested in applying to enter as freshmen in fall 2016 can visit ucvts.tec.nj.us to see a complete schedule and to get more details about applying.

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