County of Union, New Jersey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  June 3, 2014

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that a free summertime training course is available for persons interested in becoming confidential volunteer advocates for victims of sexual violence.

The training course qualifies volunteers to answer calls and offer in-person support through the Rape Crisis Center, a long-running program of the Union County Department of Human Services. RCC has provided reliable, confidential guidance to victims of sexual violence since 1984.

“The Freeholder Board is extremely proud of our volunteer advocates, who help restore a sense of community and self-worth to our fellow Union County residents facing a life crisis,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “If you are looking for a worthwhile volunteer activity, I urge you to contact the Rape Crisis Center and ask about the upcoming training program.”

The next training course will begin on Tuesday evening, July 22, and continue for 16 sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., until September 16.

The course provides volunteers with training in crisis counseling and medical/legal accompaniment in a supportive, empathetic environment.

The training will take place at RCC offices in Westfield at the Colleen Fraser county services building, 300 North Avenue East.

Volunteers must be Union County residents at least 18 years of age.  They must hold a valid driver’s license and have their own vehicle. Prior to training, each volunteer will come to the RCC offices for an informal interview.

To find out more about volunteering and to schedule an interview, call RCC at 908-233-7273.  For more information about RCC, including personal stories by volunteers, visit the RCC blog atunioncountyrapecrisiscenter.blogspot.com.

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Please join the County of Union online at ucnj.org, on Facebook at ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter at twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 3, 2014

Nature lovers of all ages will have the opportunity to get up-close and personal with wildlife in their own “backyard” during Bio-Blitz 2014, beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 13. The annual outdoor event will organize teams of plant and wildlife specialists to scour two Union County parks in Clark and Scotch Plains in search of plants and animals over a 24-hour period.

Plant, fungi, insect, fish, bird, mammal, amphibian and reptile experts, plus water monitors and amateur naturalists will collect and identify species from the parks. Teams will return to Bio-Blitz Central, an outdoor, tented field lab and exhibit space in Oak Ridge Park, 136 Oak Ridge Road in Clark, to sort and count what they find.

“The Bio-Blitz is a great opportunity for the community and visiting scientists to learn more about the natural places that make Union County a special place to live,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “Although these parks are surrounded by suburban development, Oak Ridge Park and the Ash Brook Reservation are perfect examples of how green spaces can provide a haven for people and wildlife.”

The primary purpose of Bio-Blitz 2014 is to gain a “snapshot” of the biodiversity (or richness of species) in these adjacent Union County parks. Another important goal of the event is to raise public awareness of the importance of parkland as wildlife habitat and outdoor classrooms.

Free nature-related programs for all ages will be offered throughout the event, including evening programs from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. on Friday, June 13, and from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 14. Free shuttle buses will be available to get participants to and from program sites. Programs will include: Mammal Tracking, Frog Slog; Owl Prowl; Star Watch; Stream Sampling; Wild Edible Plant Walk; Live Hawk & Owl Talk; Early Morning Birding, and more.

Bio-Blitz Central, the hub of the event, will be located at Oak Ridge Park in Clark. The large field tent will house team “labs” where scientists will sort and identify their findings.  Live fish will be on display along with plants, insects, fungi, and amphibians and reptiles.

Bio-Blitz Bingo will offer younger “scientists” an opportunity to record their findings and enter a drawing to win nature-related prizes. A Junior Scientist tent will have young naturalists interacting with hands-on activities related to the natural environment. Union County’s Trailside Nature & Science Center staff also will be on-hand to offer guided walks and provide live animal exhibits

Gardeners and homeowners who want to attract wildlife and increase biodiversity in their own yards will have the opportunity to learn all about invasive and native plants through exhibits by the NJ Invasive Species Strike Team and the Native Plant Society of NJ. Native plants will be on sale by Toadshade Farm.

Bio-Blitz 2014 is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation, Kean University and the Rahway River Watershed Association, with partial funding provided by PSE&G. Team volunteers will be fed and “watered,” caffeinated and “clothed” thanks to generous donations from ShopRite of Clark; Starbucks of Westfield; N.J. American Water & Whole Foods of Union. Additional donations will be provided by the Rahway River Watershed Association, Reed Writers, Wild Birds Unlimited, Jenkinson’s Aquarium of Point Pleasant, Staten Island Zoo and other area vendors.

Other partner organizations include the Arthur Kill Watershed Association, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Friends of Lenape Park, New Jersey Mycological Association, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Fish & Wildlife, the NJDEP AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Plant Protection and Quarantine Programs.

For more information, visit www.ucnj.org/bio-blitz.

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A Junior Scientist tent will have young naturalists interacting with hands-on activities related to the natural environment. For more information about Bio-Blitz 2014, or to volunteer for a Bio-Blitz team, visit the Union County website: www.ucnj.org/bio-blitz. (Photo by Natalie Gregorio).

 

Union County’s Trailside Nature & Science Center staff will be on-hand to offer guided walks and provide live animal exhibits. For more information about Bio-Blitz 2014, or to volunteer for a Bio-Blitz team, visit the Union County website: www.ucnj.org/bio-blitz. (Photo by Gary Szelc).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 2, 2014

ELIZABETH, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi announces that election results for the June 3rd Primary Election can be viewed on a new, advanced Union County website after the polls close in Union County on Tuesday night. The website includes a state-of-the-art reporting module with mapping, graphs and reporting capabilities.

“Voters and candidates in the Primary Election will be able to monitor throughout the evening the latest vote tallies for candidates seeking the Democratic or Republican nominations for U.S. Senate, Congressional seats, County and Municipal offices,” Ms. Rajoppi said. “We have updated our election results website to include advanced mapping capability of towns which will show up-to-the-minute voter turnout, district by district. By visiting www.ucnj.org/2014-primary after the polls close at 8 p.m., you can view the Election Night Report which will have the latest available results as they are delivered to my office from districts throughout Union County.”

The website will report the number of registered voters, ballots cast, the number of districts reporting, and the voter turnout in each election district and municipality. The information will be available in English and Spanish. The data can be viewed in graphs, reporting documents such as excel, and on a map representing all 427 election districts in Union County.

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 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. For more information, email:ucvote@ucnj.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 19, 2014

Union County – The Board of Chosen Freeholders invites residents to kick off summer with a day of family fitness on June 14th featuring a bike give-a-away by Coca Cola and a chance to meet Cara Castronuova of NBC’s The Biggest Loser. The event from will run from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Warinanco Park.

Castronuova is a celebrity fitness trainer, athlete, motivation speaker, and television personality. She was featured as a head trainer on NBC’s hit “The Biggest Loser,” Season 11, where she helped propel the show to its highest ratings ever. She has been a spokesperson for Puma, and the only female spokesperson on Everlast’s extensive roster of champions. Castronuova is a former champion boxer and two-time Golden Gloves Champion.

The kick off will feature free health screenings by Trinitas Hospital, along with a taste of the fun and unique fitness classes promoting family fitness that are being offered by centers across the county, including Pound, Zumba, Yoga, Belly Dancing and Martial Arts.

Fitness vendors include the YMCA of Eastern Union County, Retro Fitness, CKO Kickboxing, Power and Fitness, Image 2000, Roselle Health Plus, Shims Martial Arts Academy, and Girls on the Run among others.

The program is being sponsored by the Board of Chosen Freeholders in partnership with Roselle Mayor Jamel C. Holley and Roselle Borough Council & Roselle Department of Recreation, along with the Urban League of Union County and Coca-Cola Company. Registration will begin at 8:30a.m., with UC Get Fit activities starting promptly at 9:00 a.m.

For more information, to fast track your registration, and view a schedule of events visitwww.ucnj.org/getfit or contact Natalie Pineiro at 908-527-4035.

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 For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook atwww.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  June 2, 2014

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that Union County has been awarded two federal grants totaling $600,000 to assess brownfield sites in seven Union County municipalities. The grants are from the U.S. EPA Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup (ARC) fund.

“These two grants will help give our communities an opportunity to put abandoned industrial and commercial properties back into circulation, where they can create new jobs, enable future growth and make positive contributions to our economy and our quality of life,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “I want to thank our municipal partners for contributing to a successful grant application process.”

Union County formed a coalition with the Union County Alliance and the Boroughs of Garwood and Roselle and the Cities of Elizabeth, Linden, Plainfield, and Rahway to apply for the grants last year.

“Brownfields have become critical resources in Union County,” said Union County Alliance president and executive director Geoff Perselay. “This grant award will help make it possible to reclaim land for economic development to accommodate existing population densities and future population growth throughout Union County.”

Both of the grants come under the EPA Brownfields Hazardous Substances and Petroleum Assessment program. The funds will be used to conduct environmental assessments, and to support cleanup and community outreach in the seven Union County municipalities designated as coalition partners.

“This much-needed federal funding will make a big difference in our efforts to keep Union County moving forward,” says Freeholder, Christopher Hudak. “We are grateful to have the support of Senator Booker and Senator Menendez, towards initiatives that will stimulate economic growth, while protecting public health and the environment.”

A brownfield site is land that was once used for industrial purposes or some commercial uses that is idle or underused because of real or perceived environmental pollution. Often the land is contaminated by low concentrations of hazardous waste or pollution, and has the potential to be reused once the site has been reclaimed through EPA regulated protocols.

In 1999, Jersey Gardens – the largest outlet mall in New Jersey – opened on land that was once a Brownfield. To date, Jersey Gardens marks the most ambitious New Jersey Brownfield remediation project, turning the former landfill into land suitable for retail use.

A more recent example of reclamation is Snyder Avenue Park in Berkeley Heights. This popular multi-use County park opened in 2010, on land that was once an abandoned fuel depot.

With funding from a prior US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessment grant, the County was able to prepare a Brownfield Inventory in December 1999, based on the NJDEP known contaminated sites list and confirmed via a windshield survey. The Brownfield community-wide hazardous substances grant funds will be used to conduct 12 Phase I and five Phase II environmental site assessments. Petroleum grant funds will be used to conduct 12 Phase I and seven Phase II environmental site assessments. Grant funds of both types also will be used to inventory sites and support cleanup planning and community outreach activities.

The Brownfields grant application was prepared by Brownfield Redevelopment Solutions based in Manasquan, NJ.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook atwww.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 30, 2014

Union County Sheriff’s Officers and Union County Corrections Officers join the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics New Jersey in Elizabeth. The Torch Run is a statewide campaign coordinated and managed by all divisions of law enforcement officers and officials from throughout the state. For more information, visit www.njtorchrun.org. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 30, 2014

Union County Freeholder Sergio Granados (standing left) and Elizabeth Councilman Carlos Cedeno spoke with guests at the Elizabeth Office on Aging Senior Prom held at the O’Donnell Dempsey Senior Center in Elizabeth. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Sheriff’s Officers and Union County Corrections Officers join the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics New Jersey in Elizabeth. The Torch Run is a statewide campaign coordinated and managed by all divisions of law enforcement officers and officials from throughout the state. For more information, visit www.njtorchrun.org. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 29, 2014

(From left) Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak and Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski, Linda Carter and Vernell Wright welcomed Jill Johnson (C), Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, to the second annual Union County Women Mean Business (UCWMB) Summit at the Clubhouse at the Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth. Johnson delivered the keynote address at the event that was aimed at helping women business owners and managers develop skills that meet the challenges of the new millennium. UCWMB is an initiative of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)