County of Union, New Jersey

PLAINFIELD, NJ — The Union County Summer Arts Festival concert series continues its 54^th season of music on Wednesday evening, August 13, featuring The Sensational Soul Cruisers.  The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites the public to attend this free concert that begins at 7:30 p.m. in Cedar Brook Park, located in Plainfield, New Jersey.

The Sensational Soul Cruisers are an 11 man horn group fronted by four soulful vocalists who pay homage and tribute to classic performers from Otis Redding and the Drifters to Barry White and the Commodores. With a lifetime of study and hard work, this group captures and emulates the distinctive style, skill and choreography of a classic show band.

“We invite everyone to come out and enjoy a great night of music at Cedar Brook Park,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “Pack a picnic basket, bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on, and enjoy the sounds of summer under the stars.”

In addition to the great music all summer long, residents are invited to come out early and participate in

Union County’s Summer of Fitness, part of Chairman Hudak’s Union County Get Fit initiative. Free community yoga classes will be held prior to the musical entertainment AT 6:30 pm. This week’s class will be conducted by Yoga & Healing Center of Scotch Plains.

The Summer Arts Festival continues in August on Wednesday evenings at Oak Ridge Park in Clark beginning at 7:30p.m. The Oak Ridge Park dates are the 20^th and 27^th.

The remaining free concerts in the Union County Summer Arts Festival series include:

August 20 – Bernard Purdie All-Stars featuring America’s most recorded drummer; at Oak Ridge Park.

August 27 – The Nerds, New Jersey’s hardest working, hardest rocking party band; at Oak Ridge Park.

For more information, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900 or visit the Union County website:  www.ucnj.org/summer. For program and rain information call 908-558-4079 after 3:00 p.m. on the day of the show.

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ELIZABETH, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi announced today that the National Passport Center (NPC) has issued Certificates of Excellence of the Passport Services offered by her offices in Elizabeth and Westfield.

“After site visits to our offices in Elizabeth and Westfield, an analyst for the National Passport Center, a division of the U.S. State Department, made an evaluation of both facilities,” Ms. Rajoppi said. “The analyst assessed our passport agents and reported that they had the highest level of proficiency and experience.”

“During our annual interview with the analyst from NPC, our policies and procedures were reviewed and our customer service techniques were observed,” Ms. Rajoppi added. “The analyst specifically reviewed our accuracy and knowledge of passport processing procedures to ensure federally mandated rules and regulations are adhered to at all times. Our staff was interviewed on the policies to guarantee each of our certified agents is qualified to act as an acceptance agent on behalf of the NPC.”

The County Clerk operates two passport offices to serve the residents of Union County: the main office in the Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, Elizabeth, 908-527-4966; and the annex located in the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield, 908-654-9859.

“We invite anyone who needs a passport to visit either one of our locations; visit our website at www.ucnj.org/Passports or call us for further information,” Ms. Rajoppi said. “Our highly qualified staff is ready to assist you with the application process, passport photographs, and information about expedited delivery from the State Department.”

The Westfield Annex is the only County Clerk’s office in the state that is open during evening hours. The Westfield Annex is open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. The Elizabeth office is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the latest edition of the Union County Recycling Markets Directory is now available for free download from the county website, at ucnj.org/recycling. The newly updated Recycling Markets Directory is intended to help Union County businesses save money by expanding their current recycling program.

“If you own or manage a business in Union County, I encourage you to look through the directory and take advantage of the opportunities you may have to boost your bottom line through recycling,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “Recycling can be good for business and it’s good for the environment, too.”

The Recycling Markets Directory provides end markets for the recycling of a wide variety of commercial waste including books, carpet, construction debris, pallets and X-rays.

For more information about the Recycling Markets Directory, or to enquire about listing your business in the next edition, call the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning, 908-654-9890.

For information on residential recycling in Union County, individuals can contact the recycling coordinator in their municipality or use the free Recycling Events sponsored by Union County (the Recycling Events are for residential use only; no commercial waste accepted).

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HILLSIDE, NJ — “Family Fun and Flix” – the free summer entertainment and film series brought to you every Tuesday evening by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation concludes on Tuesday, August 12 AT Conant park in Hillside with the showing of “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2.”  AMC will provide free popcorn.

The evening will begin with UC Get Fit, which offers fun, healthy activities for kids, sponsored by the Board of Chosen Freeholders at 7:30 pm, prior to the movie.

“This summer has been a very exciting and entertaining one for our residents and we expect the family friendly atmosphere to continue at Conant Park,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “This is the final chance this summer for everyone to come out and enjoy a movie under the stars in one of our outstanding county parks.”

“Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2” is an animated comedy featuring the character Flint Lockwood, who now works at The Live Corp Company for his idol Chester V. But he’s forced to leave his post when he learns that his most infamous machine is still operational and is creating mutant food beasts like living pickles, hungry tacodiles, shrimpanzees and apple pie-thons. Flint and his friends must return to save the world.

“Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2” begins at dusk, weather permitting. For more information, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900 or visit the Union County website: www.ucnj.org/summer.  For program and rain information call 908-558-4079 after 3:00 p.m. on the day of the show.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the first steps have been taken toward a major upgrade of athletic facilities at the historic Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield.

“Public recreation is a core County mission and it is one that we take very seriously,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “Along with the physical and mental health benefits for individuals, the whole Union County community grows stronger when people from different walks of life can meet and enjoy a great experience together.”

The new upgrades join Hudak’s 2014 “Turf and Build” Chairman’s Initiative, which calls for improving opportunities for team sports countywide. Some of the Turf and Build projects start in 2014 and others will be rolled out over the next several years.

At Cedar Brook Park, the plan calls for upgrading two existing multipurpose grass fields with synthetic turf and new lighting. A nearby baseball field will also undergo minor improvements. The three fields are located on Park Drive, across from the tennis courts.

The Cedar Brook upgrade was set in motion earlier this summer, when the Freeholder Board awarded a design contract. After the design process is complete, a construction timeline will be set.

New Jersey State Assemblyman Jerry Green (D-22), whose district includes Plainfield, Clark, Fanwood, Linden, Rahway, Scotch Plains, and Winfield, was among those participating in the planning process.

“Cedar Brook draws visitors from Plainfield and beyond, and these significant new upgrades will ensure that more people can come and enjoy this valuable public asset,” said Green. “Now we are counting on local residents and visitors to be mindful of the effort that is going into the improvements, and help to keep Cedar Brook looking attractive and welcoming to all.”

Cedar Brook Park is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and it is home to the historicShakespeare Garden.

Like New York’s Central Park, Cedar Brook is characterized by its easy access to visitors on foot as well as by car, with meandering, forested paths that lead to wide open vistas and artfully placed waterways. There is ample room for walking, picnicking, and many other relaxing activities, as well as fields for organized sports.

Freeholder Linda Carter noted that the upgrades will extend the useful hours of the fields.

“Union County is growing, and with these upgrades Cedar Brook will be able to welcome more visitors with updated, attractive facilities,” said Carter, who is a lifelong resident of Plainfield. “The new turf will help ensure that our fields recover more quickly from stormy weather and provide more opportunities for use, and the new lights will also help to extend the useful hours.”

Under the Turf and Build initiative, the other Union County parks slated for synthetic turf, new lights, and other improvements are Warinanco Park in Roselle, Mattano Park in Elizabeth, and Madison Avenue Park and Rahway River Park in Rahway.

Other new upgrades include construction of a new stadium at Warinanco Park, and free Wi-Fi at parks facilities including the County’s two swimming pools, skating rink, Trailside Nature and Science Center, and the playground area at Nomahegan Park.

For more information on all Union County parks, including special events and free summer music and movies, visit ucnj.org/parks.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that tickets are on sale now for the 2014-2015 Sensory Friendly Theatre series at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway. The Sensory Friendly music, theater, and dance performances are specially adapted for persons with autism and other sensory sensitivities.

“The Freeholder Board is proud to present the Sensory Friendly Series, which enables children, adults, and families to enjoy enriching cultural experiences in a judgment-free, supportive environment,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak.

The Sensory Friendly Theatre series kicks off this fall with the inquisitive, lovable little monkey Curious Georgeon September 21, and the winter adventures of Frosty on November 23.

The series continues in 2015 with puppeteer Jim West’s Dinosaurs on January 11. On March 29, join The Berenstain Bears in Family Matters, the Musical as the beloved bear family learns important life lessons.

Bring the family to see Cinderella, one of New Jersey Ballet’s most popular productions for kids and families on May 3. Cinderella is a two-act romp through the well-known fairy tale with stepsisters, dancing clocks, a pumpkin coach, and more.

All seats 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 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 youngsters 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.

What to expect at a Sensory Friendly Theatre event:

 

• Each performance will run 60 minutes with no intermission.
• Seating is general admission and a limited number of tickets will be sold to maintain a comfortable size audience at each performance.
• Lights will remain up inside the theatre auditorium.
• Sound volume will be lowered and remain constant to prevent abrupt jarring sounds.
• Children are free to talk and vocalize as they wish.
• Children may get up, leave their seats, or walk about the theatre under parental supervision.
• A private lounge area will be available where children and their families can relax.  Fidget and stress sensory toys will be available for children to borrow as needed.
• Professional Autism specialists will be available throughout the performance to provide assistance as requested or needed.
• Resource Materials: “This Is My Theatre” Social Story Picture Packet, may be downloaded at ucpac.org. Families may use this Social Story tool to help acquaint their children with the experience of going to a live performance.
• Families who have not been to the Union County Performing Arts Center are invited make an appointment at the box office to stop by and visit the theatre space and explore the seating prior to the performance date.

 

 

Autism disorders affect 1 in 88 U.S. children, according to U.S. government estimates. Children with the diagnosis are often sensitive to loud noises and harsh lights, and find it hard to sit still or remain quiet. Autism spectrum disorders include both severe and relatively mild symptoms.

Tickets are available at the UCPAC Box Office at 732-499-8226 or online at ucpac.org.

The UCPAC Box Office, located at 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ, is open Tuesday through Friday from 11AM until 5PM and is also open late on Thursdays until 8PM.

Located in the heart of the Rahway Arts District, Union County Performing Arts Center is within walking distance of the Rahway NJ Transit train station. By car, it can be reached by taking exit 135 from the Garden State Parkway or exit 12 from the NJ Turnpike. Parking is available downtown at the Rahway Parking Garage.