County of Union, New Jersey

Moving New Jersey Forward and Vet 4U Present 1s^t Annual Walking In My Boots Walkathon at Warinanco Park to Benefit Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Walkathon is set to begin May 30^th,  10 a.m.; Eric Peters, noted Clark veteran who walked across country to raise awareness, to speak on issue

UNION COUNTY, NJ—A pair of non-profit organizations, Moving New Jersey Forward and VET4U, are teaming up to present the First Annual Walking in My Boots Walkathon to benefit Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The event takes place on Saturday, May 30^th at Warinanco Park in Roselle. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m. The County of Union and the Historic Midtown Elizabeth SID are also co-sponsors.

 “There are not enough people who know or understand what PTSD is, and it’s something we need to change,” said Sergio Granados, Union County Freeholder and a founder of Moving New Jersey Forward, a community-based non-profit that works to raise awareness and education efforts at the local and national levels on issues pertaining to social justice.  “Raising awareness helps to overcome the stigma of PTSD and effectuate treatment and positive outcomes. We need to work to provide more services for our Veterans that have sacrificed so much to improve our quality of life.”

Eric Peters, a 24-year-old Veteran from Clark, will speak at the event. Last year, Peters walked to raise awareness for PTSD. Born out of his frustration to get the proper medical care from the VA and suffering from PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) himself, he decided to make a pilgrimage from his home in Clark, NJ to California to raise awareness. Eric was in the 101st Airborne Division and has received a Purple Heart for his sacrifices. Knowing that he is not alone in his situation, he hopes to open many eyes to the reality of life for many veterans post war with unfortunate outcomes.

“Many of those veterans who are suffering with PTSD  just don’t fit in with civilian life. Many are angry, afraid, irritable and just lost,” Peters said. “These veterans lose their appetites, their friends and any hope of recovering. Every night, they wake up in a cold sweat after having another nightmare.”

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it, such as war, a physical assault, or a disaster. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Getting effective treatment after PTSD symptoms develop can be critical to reduce symptoms and improve function.

“There are several million Veterans who suffer from PTSD and many of them cannot—for a number of reasons–access the resources they need to treat it,” said Janna Williams, a United States AirForce Veteran and founder of VET4U, a non-profit in formation, which advocates for and assists military veterans. “We need to work together to find the best ways to treat PTSD and assist the service members, Veterans and family members who are suffering from its impact.”

The event is a 5K walk in the park, and those who wish to register online may do so at walkinginmyboots.eventbrite.com. Anyone wishing more info can call Janna at 908-590-3869 or email vet4u2@gmail.com.  Entry fees are $15 before May 20^th, and $20 after May 20^th.

“Many cases of PTSD remain unreported and undiagnosed due to a lack of awareness and the stigma of mental health issues,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “We are proud to co-sponsor an event aimed at helping our Veterans suffering from these invisible wounds of war receive proper treatment.”

“The brave men and women of the Armed Forces proudly served our country, risked their lives to protect our freedom, and deserve our efforts to ensure their physical, mental, and emotional well-being,” said Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, Freeholder Liaison to Veterans’ Affairs.

The walk leads up to the month of June, which has been designated PTSD Awareness Month.  Those seeking more information on PTSD, can go to http://www.ptsd.va.gov/index.asp or if living in Union County, can call the Union County Office of Veterans’ Affairs at 908-659-7407 for referral information or reach the office toll free, at 1-866-640-7115.

 

 

Lineup includes Mthakathi, Family Stone and headliner War

Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that one of Union County’s best loved warm-weather traditions is back: the annual Rhythm and Blues by the Brook free outdoor music festival, which returns to historic Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield, on Saturday, May 30th, 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m.

This year, Rhythm and Blues by the Brook features the high energy funk of The Family Stone, one of the most influential bands of the ’60s and ’70s, and the iconic R&B super group of the ’70s, War. Also featured is “world music on jet fuel” Safro-Rock artist Mthakathi.

“We are very proud to bring great live music back to Cedar Brook Park,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Rhythm and Blues by the Brook has traditionally been the signature Union County event that kicks off a full summer season of free live music, and I hope everyone can stop by and enjoy the day with family and friends.”

“Rhythm and Blues by the Brook is a great way to get an early start on summer, and our County parks will be humming with free activities for everyone to enjoy all season long,” said Freeholder Linda Carter, a lifelong resident of Plainfield. “It’s a wonderful showcase for Cedar Brook Park and for the City of Plainfield, too.”

Rhythm and Blues by the Brook also features free activities for young children, including inflatable activity rides, a petting zoo, and pony rides. The children’s area will open at 12:00 noon and close at 4:30, when the main act takes the stage.

Also returning to Cedar Brook Park on May 30 is a classic car show, located near the basketball court across the park from the concert area.

Food vendors will be on site, and a number of picnic tables will be conveniently located under a tent in the concert “outfield.” Concert-goers are also welcome to bring blankets or lawn chairs.

More details will be coming soon to the County website, ucnj.org.

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Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi reminds residents that Tuesday, May 12, is the last day for registering to vote in New Jersey’s upcoming Primary Election.

“With the Primary Election approaching on June 2, the deadline is just days away for first-time voters and new residents in Union County to register to vote in either the Democratic or Republican primaries,” Ms. Rajoppi said. “To be eligible to vote in the June 2 Primary Election, new voters must be registered by Tuesday, May 12.”

To register to vote or to register an address change, forms are available in every municipality at the office of the municipal clerk. Forms also may be obtained by visiting the County Clerk’s office at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth or at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield, or by visiting the Union County website: www.ucnj.org/county-clerk.

Information about the upcoming Primary Election also can be obtained by using the free 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 find their polling place, request voter registration forms and vote-by-mail ballot applications, and view sample ballots,” 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 office hours of the Westfield Annex of the County Clerk are 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. Regular office hours in Elizabeth are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Voter registration forms and change of address forms must be received by the Union County Board of Elections, 271 North Broad Street, Elizabeth NJ 07208 no later than Tuesday, May 12, in order to be eligible to vote in the Primary Election on June 2. To qualify to vote, you must be a citizen of the United States and at least 18 years old, not serving a sentence, probation, or parole because of a felony conviction, and a resident of New Jersey and Union County for at least 30 days. For more information about voter registration, please call the Union County Board of Elections at 908-527-4123.

 

The following press release is from the Trailside Museum Association. Media please contact Paul McNamara, President, with any questions at 908-233-8461.

With 110,000 species of moth worldwide and approximately 2,000 in the Garden State, naturalist/biologist Blaine Rothauser can be kept pretty entertained during sleepless nights attracting, sorting, identifying, and trying to get a peek into their secret lives.

The under-appreciated cousins of butterflies, moths are truly the silent majority of the insect world and the presence of some species can indicate whether a habitat is healthy or compromised.

Join Blaine at the Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside on Thursday, May 14 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. as he shares his extensive knowledge, enthusiasm and passion for these winged beauties through an indoor photo rich presentation followed by an outdoor hands-on sodium vapor light trap demonstration.

Moths attracted to the light will be examined closely and moth biology and fun facts about specific species will be covered.

For: adults and children accompanied by adult ages 8 years and up. Free. Call Trailside to register @ 908-789-3670.

Space is limited. The Silent Majority – Moths of New Jersey is funded and hosted by the Trailside Museum Association, (find us on Facebook) the non-profit friends group for Trailside Nature & Science Center. The talk and demo is offered as a precursor to the Union County’s 11th Annual Bio-Blitz on June 12 & 13. Mr. Rothauser will provide a free moth trapping demo at the Blitz as well on June 12. For more information about Bio-Blitz, visit ucnj.org/bio-blitz.

To view this event listing online, please visit the Trailside“Dusk to Dark Evening Family Programs” at ucnj.org.

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This page will be updated as the status changes.

Union County, NJ – Load up your wagon with locally grown veggie seedlings, annual flowers, perennial plants and much, much more at the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale on Sunday, May 17 from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m., by the Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside. The fair includes hundreds of plants for sale along with free activities, tours and demonstrations for all ages. Free admission – free parking! All proceeds help support the Master Gardeners many community projects and scholarship fund. For more information call the Union County Rutgers Extension office in Westfield, 908-654-9854 (ext. 4) or visit ucnj.org/rce.    

 

Union County, NJ – When the Lenape Park Nighthawks take to the fields this Saturday, there will be no cheering — You wouldn’t want to scare the birds away, would you?

This Saturday, May 9, is the 32nd annual World Series of Birding, where teams compete to identify birds across New Jersey.  There are also fun categories, such as the one the Nighthawks opted for, and they will compete more against themselves, looking to up their score from last year when they saw or heard 93 different species of birds.

“We wish the Lenape Nighthawks the best of luck,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh.

“Whether or not they beat their top score of two years ago, to date they have used the World Series to raise more than $7,000 for the New Jersey Audubon Society, and that is truly commendable,” he said. 

The Nighthawks will focus their search in Lenape Park, in the center of the County.

“We’ll start at 5:00 a.m. and go through ‘til six,” said team captain Frank Budney, stressing that “six” was 6:00 p.m.

Some state teams will start at midnight in High Point, at the northern tip of  the state, and make their way down to Cape May by the end of the day, Budney said, noting that those teams will often count more than 200 species of birds by the time they are done.

New Jersey is along the Atlantic Flyway, the path birds take when migrating between the northern and southern hemispheres. Many birds seen and heard in this area are just passing through to northern nesting areas. Others will be settling in for the summer.

“A lot of people think Union County parks are softball fields and baseball fields, but there are all these wildlife areas,” said Budney, who can be found bird-watching in Lenape at least once a week.

He is also one of several volunteers who lead bird hikes in the park, which the public is welcome to join.  Anyone interested in participating should send an email to birding@ucnj.org

Their morning expeditions utilize a number of trails through the park, including the East Coast Greenway, which passes through several of the 36 parks in the Union County Parks System.

While Lenape may pale in size to the County’s 2,200-acre Watchung Reservation, it can have its fair share of surprises, Budney said.

 A green heron continues to make the park its home, while last year, a pair of red-shouldered hawks — not to be confused with the more common red-tailed hawks –came to the park.

Although they have not been seen recently, that does not mean they have not returned to nest.

“They’re very secretive,” he said.

For information on the dramatic rescue of Lenape Park’s green heron last month, visit ucnj.org/press-releases.

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ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of paintings by Valerie Moreno in the gallery space at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, located in the historic St. John’s Parsonage at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth. A selection of her work entitled “Visual Vibrations” is on display at the Pearl Street Gallery through June 12. The public is invited to enjoy the exhibit during regular gallery hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

Valerie Moreno is a professional artist whose education includes a fine arts/education degree from the College of New Rochelle and graduate work in fine arts at Brooklyn College, the Arts Student League and Montclair State University. She taught fine arts for 30 years with the New York City Board of Education and was an Art Therapist for 20 years with NYU Medical Center.

Moreno has exhibited her paintings extensively throughout New York and New Jersey, including a one-woman exhibit at Johnson & Johnson Corporate World Headquarters, New Brunswick. She held the inaugural one-person exhibit at the Summit Medical Group, Berkeley Heights; a two-woman exhibit at Educational Testing Service, Princeton; group exhibits at Nabisco Gallery, East Hanover; Sotheby’s, New York; and an exhibit at Bloomingdale’s, Short Hills, of originally designed shopping bags by her students. Her commissioned paintings are in national and international private collections. Moreno also holds lectures, multimedia presentations and workshops on the work of Van Gogh, the Art of Painting on China and topics including art and travel.

Ms. Moreno is a Charter Member of the National Museum for Women in the Arts, Washington, DC; and a member of the Visual Art Center of New Jersey in Summit; the New York State Art Teachers Association; the Millburn-Short Hills Art Center; and the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs.

“Color pervades my artwork as I fill each canvas with its own complexion of hues,” Valerie said. “As light falls on a shape, the tonal colors of the shape change and this creates a visual image which is always in a state of flux. With my brush, I try to capture a moment of this miracle of nature, as the playfulness of light shifts on the form creating visual vibrations of varied color.”

Union County artists (whose works can be hung on a wall) interested in exhibiting in the gallery space are welcome to apply. For more information about the Pearl Street Gallery or other programs, please contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth NJ 07202. Free on-site parking is available. Telephone 908-558-2550. NJ Relay users can dial 711. Send E-mail to: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

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