County of Union, New Jersey

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, joined by elected officials and community leaders from the Borough of Roselle, the City of Elizabeth and the City of Linden, yesterday marked the dedication of the new Warinanco Park Track and Field with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The new Track and Field is home to:

• a new and improved eight-lane running track;
• multi-use turf field for soccer, football and track;
• field lighting, new bleachers with ADA features, stadium concession and lavatories.

Paid for through capital project funds from the Department of Parks and Recreation, the total cost of the upgrade to the track and field facility is a little more than $4 million.

“The upgrades to the Warinanco Park Track and Field are a significant step toward the Freeholder Board’s commitment to ensure that our public facilities provide Union County residents with modern, up-to-date resources for recreation,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak, who announced the upgrades earlier this year as part of his Chairman’s “Turf and Build” initiative for 2014.

The ribbon-cutting event featured speeches from Mayor Jamel Holley of Roselle, and Mayor J. Christian Bollwage of Elizabeth – each highlighting the significance for their community of the upgrades to the athletic field.

Rev. Reginald W. Atkins, president of the Roselle Board of Education, was joined by Roselle student athletes and band members to conclude the ceremony with a grand entrance onto the track and field running through an official Warinanco Park Track and Field banner.

“Generations of Union County residents have enjoyed the many unique features of this iconic park. This is a place where memories are made,” said Chairman Hudak. “Today we celebrate the beginning of many new memories for all who come to visit the track and field at Warinanco Park.”

Located in the City of Elizabeth and the Borough of Roselle, and boarders the City of Linden, Warinanco Park, which opened in the mid 1920s, comprises 205 acres of developed park land and was originally designed by the Olmsted Firm.

Beginning in 1857 with the design for Central Park in New York City, Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903), his sons and successor firm created designs for more than 6,000 landscapes across North America, including many of the world’s most important parks.

While it is deceivingly smaller in size, the classic Olmstead design of the park with its distinctive features makes it appear as if it is actually much larger. Warinanco Park offers many different attractions in four distinct areas, where for the past 90 years or so, residents have made memories every day.  The four areas of the park are: the Central Park area, the boathouse playground area, the skating center, and the track area.

Some other  popular attractions in the park include  the Chatfield Gardens; the park’s Great Walk area; tennis courts; ball fields; par-course fitness route; spray park and playground.  In the Spring, the park is noted for its colorful blooms of Cherry Blossom, Dogwood trees and Azaleas.

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Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak, Vice Chairman Mohamed Jalloh and Freeholders Bruce Bergen, Alexander Mirabella, Sergio Granados, Vernell Wright and Angel G. Estrada joined Roselle Mayor Jamel Holley and Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage in cutting the ribbon officially opening the new track and field in Warinanco Park in Roselle.

This year’s Christmas tree arrives at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. The tree, donated by Janice Minarchenko of Clark, will be on display in the Courthouse Rotunda during the holiday season. The public is invited to view the tree on weekdays until it is removed just before New Year’s Day.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders reminds residents that reliable, one-on-one assistance with foreclosure issues will be available at an upcoming public event called “Foreclosure: Moving from Fear to Positive Action.”

The free event will take place on Tuesday, December 2, 2014, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at the Church of the Assumption, 113 Chiego Place, in Roselle Park. No pre-registration is needed and the facility is wheelchair accessible.

This event is the third in a series aimed at providing property owners, and rental tenants, with accurate information about their rights and options.

“Whether you are in foreclosure now, or are concerned about your risk of foreclosure, please come to the event and get reliable guidance that can help ease your worries and improve your situation,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak.

Foreclosure: Moving From Fear To Positive Action is sponsored by the Union County Human Relations Commission (UCHRC) and the Union County Foreclosure Task Force. For more information call UCHR at 908-889-9028.

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(From left) Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak, Freeholder Linda Cater, Teamsters driver Donna Wright, Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, Quality Auto Center Business Development Manager Harry Brooks and owner Mark Abaid participated in and contributed to a food collection drive held by the Quality Auto Center in Linden in conjunction with the Community Food Bank of New Jersey. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Youngsters–and maybe their parents–are invited to the Deserted Village of Feltville  in the Watchung Reservation to experience what it was like to “text” in Colonial America.

At the Four Centuries in a Weekend program in October, children were invited to write with a quill pen and ink on parchment paper to experience what it was like writing a letter in Colonial times.

The new activity proved so popular that staff had to start cutting parchment sheets in half.  By the end of the weekend, more than 400 children (some returned to do it again) enjoyed the experience.

When Four Centuries in a Weekend is celebrated across Union County at 27 different historic sites, the Union County Department of Parks & Recreation celebrates the event at the Deserted Village in Berkeley Heights.  There are games and activities for children, hayrides, and historic tours of the area.

The quill and ink writing activity was introduced for the first time this fall.  Youngsters sat at writing desks in the Church/General Store and then wrote their missives-although at one point some teenagers decided a treasure map was more to their liking.

“It was a total delight to see how that activity took off with the children,” said Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski. “They were having fun, and also learning how people kept in touch with one another in the past.”

The Visitor Center in the Church/General Store is open most Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from Noon-5 p.m.  The “Quill & Ink” activity will be staffed on three Sundays, Nov. 30, Dec. 14, and Dec. 21.

A Parks Department staffer will be on hand to guide children, and to suggest what they might write about if they had been alive in the 1700′s when the Reservation was all fields.

John Willcocks, one of the farmers who tilled fields that are now part of the 2,142-acre Watchung Reservation, fought in the Revolutionary War.  Willcocks served in the New Jersey militia and is thought to have been mortally wounded during the retreat of General Washington’s army from Fort Lee.

Youngsters are invited to consider how the farmers in the area would be concerned about how the war was faring and how they might well have written to relatives about the progress of those battles and concerns for their own safety

There is no denying that, given the approaching holiday, youngsters might also want to write notes to Santa.  In an era when the monitoring of electronic communication is so often in the news, youngsters will also experience how sealing wax was used to protect privacy during these times.

For more information on the Deserted Village of Feltville, go to ucnj.org/dv, and for more activities in the Union County Park System, go to ucnj.org/fun.

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Union County, NJ – Family dinners are the hallmark of the holiday season, and with that in mind the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites residents to participate in the national “Dine in with Us” campaign.  Sponsored by the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS), “Dine in” encourages families to prepare healthy home cooked meals together.

December 3 is the day that AAFCS asks families across the country to “dine in with us” and prepare a healthy meal at home, to help launch the organization’s first annual Family & Consumer Sciences Day.

“The ‘dine in with us’ theme is aimed at promoting healthy eating habits all year long,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “While eating out is always a nice treat, there are lots of benefits to dining in. Eating a home cooked meal with the family promotes good nutrition and helps to strengthen family relationships.”

For more information on Family & Consumer Sciences Day, and to learn how to share your “dine in” fun on social media, visit aafcs.org/FCSday or email pr@aafsc.org.

Families, school groups, and community organizations can also sign up online to participate in weekly prize drawings.

December 3 was chosen to celebrate Family & Consumer Sciences Day in honor of the pioneering 19^thcentury scientist Ellen Swallow Richards, also known as “the Original Home Economics Superwoman.”

More information on family nutrition, including the Steps to Health and Wealth and Grow Healthyprograms, is available from the Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) of Union County at ucnj.org/rce.

“Ellen Swallow Richards was an extraordinary scientist who realized that access to knowledge is the key to a healthy, thriving household,” said Hudak. “I encourage you to visit RCE at ucnj.org/rce to find out about the tools and resources that are available to you.”

RCE is part of the national Cooperative Extension System under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is also a partner in Family & Consumer Sciences Day. RCE is supported in part by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders with Rutgers University through the NJ Agricultural Experiment Station.

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Union County – Union County’s Sensory Friendly Theatre series welcomes the winter season with the adventures ofFrosty. Inspired by the beloved holiday song “Frosty the Snowman,” this new musical will come to the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway this Sunday, November 23 at 2:00 pm.

All tickets are $8 per person and can be purchased through the Union County Performing Arts Center atucpac.org or by calling the Box Office at 732-499-8226.

“The sensory-friendly performances are designed help families with sensory, social, and learning disabilities to experience the performing arts in a safe, judgment-free environment,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “The Freeholder Board is proud to continue supporting this series.”

In this exciting winter tale, a young orphan named Billy discovers magic in a stolen hat. When he places the hat on a snowman’s head, the snowman comes to life! But can Frosty the Snowman help Billy find his family in time for Christmas? Join Billy and Frosty as they embark on a New York City adventure filled with thrills and chills, and the discovery that the real magic of the holidays is love. The show is filled with songs and dances that you’ll remember long after you leave the theatre!

The Sensory Friendly Theatre series, presented by the Freeholder Board, began in 2012 as an initiative of Freeholder Alexander Mirabella. It is designed according to guidelines that help reduce disturbances for individuals who experience heightened sensory sensitivity.

Implementing the supportive atmosphere is the organization Autism Friendly Spaces, which provides specialists to train staff and volunteers on working with children with autism and other special needs during Sensory Friendly Theatre performances, while providing comfort and help to families.

For each of the special performances in the Sensory Friendly Theatre series, the theatre environment at the Performing Arts Center will be adjusted to provide a sensory-friendly, comfortable and judgment-free space that is welcoming for all families. For more information on what to expect at a Sensory Friendly Theatre performance visit ucpac.org.

The Sensory Friendly Theatre series is supported by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, through the Kids Recreation Trust Fund. The performance of Frosty is made possible in part by funding from the NJ Department of Community Affairs through a Recreational Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities Grant.

The next performance in the Sensory Friendly Theatre series is the prehistoric adventures of puppeteer Jim West’s DINOSAURS! on January 11.

For more information or to purchase tickets call the Union County Performing Arts Center, 732-499-8226 or visit ucpac.org. The UCPAC Box Office, located at 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ, is open Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and is also open late on Thursdays until 8:00 p.m.

For information on additional Union County recreational programs for people with disabilities age five and up, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4806 or visit ucnj.org.

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MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that Trailside will offer “Project WET,” a teacher-training workshop for adults, ages 18 and older, on Thursday December 4, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside.

“Trailside’s popular teacher-training Project WET workshop offers a unique opportunity to learn innovative ways to bring awareness and understanding of our environment and aquatic resources to students,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak.

In today’s society, water is often taken for granted. This workshop will provide the necessary tools, resources and lessons for teachers to utilize in the classroom to teach our future leaders about the importance of water in everyday life. Formal and informal educators are invited to join a certified Project WET facilitator for a day of interactive, educational and hands-on activities focusing on water as a valuable resource.

Participants will work cooperatively to discover the properties of water while earning six NJDOE teaching credits. Each person will receive a Project WET curriculum and activity guide with more than 90 interdisciplinary activities and lessons, teacher-tested and classroom-ready for K-12 students. Lessons are correlated to New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. New Jersey Project WET is sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Watershed Management Division and the New Jersey Audubon Society.

Pre-registration is required for this workshop. Space is limited. Walk-ins will be welcomed as space permits. The fee is $20 per person. Light refreshments will be served during morning registration. Participants are encouraged to bring a lunch.

For information about the Project WET teacher-training workshop or upcoming programs and special events at Trailside, please call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside for a complete fall brochure. 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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Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak (3^rd L) and Freeholders Linda Carter and Angel G. Estrada (R) present resolutions to Frank Porter (C) of the Morning Star Community Christian Center in Linden and Pastor Paul Dean (3^rd R) of the Visions of God Family Worship Church in Plainfield thanking them for their participation and efforts in assisting in the success of the County of Union’s Gun Buyback/Gun Amnesty program that was held on October 25. They are joined by Union County First Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Isenhour (L) and Union County Police Chief Dan Vaniska.

More than 480 guns were collected at the two locations during the 8-hour event. The program was a joint effort by the churches, the Union County Freeholder Board, Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Union County Sheriff’s Office, Union County Police Department, Plainfield Police Division and Linden Police Department.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)