County of Union, New Jersey

Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak (2nd R), Vice Chairman Mohamed Jalloh (2nd L) and Freeholders (from L) Linda Carter, Alexander Mirabella, Angel Estrada, and Vernell Wright joined Assemblyman Jerry Green (3rd L) at the annual Central Jersey Fourth of July Parade in Plainfield. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Linden’s Wheeler Park first of six installations Countywide as part of
Freeholder Chairman Hudak’s initiatives

WHEELER PARK, LINDEN, NJ—-The  County of Union today activated the first of a series of Countywide WIFI installations at the park’s John Russell Wheeler Pool and the nearby playground as part of Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak’s initiatives for 2014.

“Pool and playground users at Wheeler Park now are able to access the web-based information and services they need when they need it—for free,” Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak said. “Whether it is surfing the web poolside, mapping out the day, setting alarms at home, or posting photos of their children in action, it now becomes a reality for our residents.”

While the pool opens and closes seasonally, WIFI service will be available year-round at the park’s playground, Hudak noted.

Other scheduled installations that will occur throughout the year include:

• The Union County Clerk’s Office at the Colleen Fraser Building at the Public Safety Complex on North Avenue in Westfield. WIFI service will be up and functioning tomorrow.
• Nomahegan Park playground, Cranford. WIFI service will be available tomorrow.
• Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside: WIFI service is anticipated to begin by the end of July, and will include classrooms.
• Warinanco (Park) Skating facility, Roselle—WIFI service will be installed and ready in September.
• Walter Ulrich Memorial Pool at Rahway River Park: installation will be completed by the end of the Summer season.

Logging on to Union County’s service is easy for WIFI-enabled devices, such as Apple I-Phones and I-pads, Android-based phones and tablets and any other WIFI capable devices. Merely find the WIFI settings and make sure it is turned on. Select “Union County Wi-Fi” as the connection to join. Follow on screen agreements and enjoy.

WIFI service will be free. Safety features are also in place, including having the users to re-login periodically to discourage downloading or streaming of large files which may cause the performance and bandwidth to decrease for other patrons who may be logged on at the same time.

Wi-Fi Access Instructions

W-Fi Signs

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders reminds residents to prepare for rainy weather, as the Atlantic hurricane season has officially begun and the first tropical storm of the season is working its way up the eastern seaboard.

“Union County will experience some heavy rain and wind in advance of the holiday weekend,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “This is a good opportunity to check how prepared you are for more severe weather events as the hurricane season picks up.”

Since being impacted by Hurricane Irene in August 2010, Union County has experienced a string of damaging weather events including Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

“We have learned to expect the unexpected when it comes to the unusual weather patterns associated with climate change,” said Hudak. “That means it’s more important now than ever to plan ahead for weather-related emergencies.”

Standard emergency preparedness includes maintaining a supply of non-perishable food, fresh water, and basic first aid supplies.

To help County residents prepare, the Union County home page features a new “Plan Ahead for Weather Emergencies” link at ucnj.org. It enables handy access to guidance from the federal emergency website,ready.gov, along with links to websites and social media for Union County and the 21 municipalities.

Additional guidance relating to health and safety before, during, and after a weather emergency is also available from the Centers for Disease Control at cdc.gov.

As part of their emergency preparedness measures, residents and businesses are asked to check their property and secure lightweight yard furniture, trash cans, toys, and other items that could create windblown hazards.

“The most crucial thing to do is to stay informed in the lead-up to an extreme weather event, and follow the guidance of local emergency officials,” Hudak noted. “Your preparedness will enable first responders to focus on helping those in immediate need.”

During emergencies, residents automatically receive warnings on land lines at home, through the reverse-911 system. To receive alerts on cell phones and other mobile devices, residents can join the Union County First Alert system by signing up online at ucfirstalert.org.

“When you receive an alert, follow up by tuning in to your local news reports. You can also bookmark the home page of the Union County website, ucnj.org, where information and updates will be posted,” said Hudak.

Information on the progress of Tropical Storm Arthur is available from the National Hurricane Center atnhc.noaa.gov.

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

Union County, NJ – Four students shared the energetic diversity of Union County with their peers from across New Jersey last month, as they participated in the annual 4-H Public Presentation Contest at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

The four were selected for the statewide contest from a pool of 41 participants in the Union County 4-H public speaking event held earlier this year.

“Union County 4-H encourages young people to explore their interests while building communication and leadership skills,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I would like to thank Kyle, Adrian, Vivek, and Angela for their very spirited and capable representation of our Union County community in this statewide event.”

A total of 180 New Jersey 4-H members participated in the statewide contest.  The members from Union County were:

• Kyle Grant, Basketball, 9th grade, Union.
• Adrian Lam, The Art of Juggling, 9th grade, Westfield. Adrian was awarded the medal for Outstanding Presenter in his group.
• Vivek Sreenivasan, Robotics for Fun, 9th grade, Westfield.
• Angela Waldmann, Vocal Performance of “Let it Go” and History of Song, 8th grade, Roselle.

4-H Public Presentations is a youth development program of the statewide Rutgers Cooperative Extension, designed to provide students with experience in creating and delivering a public talk. 4-H members from grades 8-12 who received a score of excellent on their county presentation were eligible to attend the statewide event.

Union County 4-H is run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, supported in part by the Freeholder Board.

The clubs are open to all Union County students in grades one through 12. Popular clubs include archery, Lego robotics, anime, cooking, horticulture, and living history.

The 4-H activity season runs concurrently with the school year and an Open House is held each September to help students match their interests with a club. For more details and an Open House invitation, visitucnj.org/rce.

For additional information contact 4-H Agent James Nichnadowicz at 908-654-9854 orNichnadowicz@njaes.rutgers.edu, or visit the Extension online at ucnj.org/rce.

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

Union County, NJ – For a unique look at trees through the eyes of aspiring young writers visit the Union County website atucnj.org, where you can read 15 winning poems from the 2014 Young Writers of Union County Poetry Contest. The contest is part of Union County’s annual Arbor Day celebration.

“On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I would to thank each student who submitted a poem,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “All of the poems were thoughtful and creative, and together they demonstrate how trees make an enriching contribution to the quality of life here in Union County. It is a real pleasure to share some of these heartfelt words in a public forum.”

The poetry contest is sponsored each year by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Shade Tree Advisory Board. Intended to encourage young people to explore the many contributions that trees make to the Union County, the contest is open to students in all Union County Schools in grades four through eight.

Trees trap airborne pollutants, and they improve local waterways by filtering rainwater and preventing soil erosion. They also help to reduce storm flooding, partly because their leaves intercept rain and give it more time to evaporate before reaching the ground.

Trees can also help Union County residents save on their energy bills. When strategically placed around a home, trees provide shade in the summer that can result in a 50 percent cut on a typical cooling bill. In the winter they act as windbreakers, helping to reduce heating costs.

In recognition of the environmental, public health, and economic benefits of trees, Union County practices a comprehensive approach to tree conservation.

That includes planting new and replacement trees on County property and providing grants for trees on municipal property, as well as supporting the poetry contest and other public outreach efforts.

The Freeholder Board also helps to support the Rutgers 4-H Master Tree Stewards of Union County, who provide classroom lessons and other community service projects relating to tree conservation.

To find out more about tree care in Union County, or to volunteer to join the Master Tree Stewards, contact James Nichnadowicz, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, 908-654-9854 orjnichnadowicz@ucnj.org.

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

Photo: A view of the Sierra Trail in the Watchung Reservation one of 36 Union County parks spanning almost 6,800 acres of preserved open space. (County of Union, NJ).