County of Union, New Jersey

The Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to announce the County of Union is now accepting donations for its annual school supply drive, which will run from August 8th through September 2nd for the 2024-2025 academic school year. Residents may donate items online or in person at one of the designated collection sites.

“Having access to essential school supplies is vital for the academic success of our students. By equipping our children with the necessary tools, we empower them to thrive and achieve their full potential,” said Union County Commissioner Chairwoman Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded. “We take great pride in this initiative, and it wouldn’t be possible without the generous contributions of our residents. We encourage you to join us in supporting our students and donate today.”

Key items sought through donations include earbuds, single-subject spiral notebooks, plastic pocket folders, No. 2 pencils, pencil sharpeners, colored pencils, 1-oz. hand sanitizers, glue sticks, sticky notes, highlighters, 12-inch rulers, pink erasers, and children’s scissors.

Residents may donate items in person at one of the following collection sites:

• Union County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ
• Union County Public Safety Building, 400 North Ave East, Westfield NJ
• Union County Engineering, Facilities, and Public Works Management Building, 2325 South Ave, Scotch Plains

Residents who wish to participate online may visit our Amazon Wish List at bit.ly/unioncountyschooldrive24.

For additional information on the Union County School Supply Drive, please contact Judith Guest, Community Engagement and Diversity Coordinator at 908-527-4388 or by email at Judith.guest@ucnj.org.

For more information on programs and events hosted by the Office of Community Engagement and Diversity, please visit ucnj.org/community-engagement-diversity/.

The Union County Board of County Commissioners invites all residents to a free scrap metal recycling drop-off event on Saturday, August 17th, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This event will take place at two collection sites in Cranford and Rahway and will be held twice a month from April to November.

“I want to encourage all residents who haven’t yet participated to consider joining our recycling efforts. By disposing of your unwanted scrap metal items, you can significantly reduce waste in your homes and the environment while also giving these items the chance to be repurposed,” said Union County Chairwoman Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded. “We appreciate your support and hope to see you at one of our participating locations this August.”

Scrap metal drop-off will be accepted on Saturday, August 17th from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at two drop-off centers:

• Cranford: Emergency Services Building, 151 Kenilworth Boulevard, Kenilworth

• Rahway: Rahway River Park (follow Park Drive, Rahway off St. Georges Avenue to service yard across from swimming pool)

Scrap metal from Union County residents may be brought to either of these sites. Union County’s Scrap Metal events will continue next month on Thursday, September 5th and Saturday, September 21st. To receive schedule alerts and stay up to date with Union County and local recycling programs, download the free Recycle Coach mobile app.

Residents must remain in their vehicle at all times. Materials should be placed in trunk, cargo area, or truck bed and be easily accessible to staff to remove from vehicle.

Acceptable items for recycling include unwanted pots and pans, air conditioners, aluminum scrap, aluminum siding, bicycles, brass, copper, dishwashers, electric fans, fencing (chair/wire), freezers (doors must be off, by law), refrigerators (door must be off by law) stoves, tire rims, toasters, gutters, irons, lawn furniture, metal cabinets, metal sheds, microwaves, railings, washers and dryers, window frames (no glass), wire hangers and drained lawnmowers.

For more information, upcoming dates and directions to all Union County recycling programs and locations, visit the Bureau of Recycling and Planning website at ucnj.org/recycle or call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889.

Please note rescheduled date.

The Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to announce a free online Q&A workshop providing information and guidance on three 2025 grant programs administered by the Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs: the Union County HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant, the History Grant, and the Local Arts Grant.

“Arts, history, and cultural programming are vital to the enrichment of our community,” said Union County Commissioner Chairwoman Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded. “We encourage organizations with interest to participate in this workshop and explore these funding opportunities to bring engaging programs to Union County.”

The live Q&A will be hosted on Zoom on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., and is geared towards organizations and individuals needing basic information about these grant programs and the application processes. Guidelines for the grants will be provided.

Union County arts, history, and cultural organizations, as well as municipal government offices and libraries, are welcome to register to learn about these opportunities to apply for funding of programming to take place during the 2025 calendar year, January 1 through December 31.

“The grant programs administered by our Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs provide crucial support to local organizations, helping them to preserve our rich history and present arts and educational programs,” said Union County Commissioner Bette Jane Kowalski, Liaison to the Cultural and Heritage Advisory Board. “This workshop is an excellent opportunity for organizations to learn how they can benefit from these grants.”

The Union County HEART Grant funds projects related to local history, the arts, and humanities and is funded through the Union County Board of County Commissioners. The Union County History Grant funds history organizations and history projects, and is made possible by funds from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State. The Union County Local Arts Program funds arts organizations and arts projects, and is made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

To register for this workshop, visit ucnj.org/cha-workshop. For questions, please contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth NJ 07202. Telephone: 908-558-2550. NJ Relay users dial 711, or email: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi advises all students who are Union County residents attending schools outside of Union County this fall to immediately apply for their vote-by-mail ballot to ensure they are received in time for the 2024 Presidential Election. Vote-by-mail ballots will be available for mailing on or about September 21^st. There is no option to vote by email.

“Your participation in the democratic process through voting is critical. With the presidential election fast approaching, it’s important to exercise your right to vote and contribute to shaping the future of our country,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “I strongly urge all college students to apply for their mail-in ballot as soon as possible so their ballots can be sent in the first wave of mailings.”

Applications for vote-by-mail ballots can be downloaded at unioncountyvotes.com. Completed applications must be sent through the mail or brought to the County Clerk’s Elizabeth or Westfield offices.

All signatures on the vote-by-mail application and ballot envelope are validated through a voter registration system. No one other than the voter may sign either the application or the ballot envelope.

Voters who prefer the County Clerk’s One-Stop service can come to the Elizabeth or Westfield office and apply for their ballot in person. Once received, they can complete it and place it in the inner envelope, fill out the info, then put it in the outer envelope and mail it. They may also deposit it in a secure drop-box on-site, all in the same visit. Privacy booths are located at the offices for voters to fill out their ballots.

Due to Post Office delays, ballots must be mailed back and received no later than election day (Tuesday, November 5^th) in order to be counted.

For more information about the County Clerk’s election services visit unioncountyvotes.com or contact the Elections Division at 908-527-4996 or ucvote@ucnj.org.

For more information about all County Clerk programs and services, visit online at ucnj.org/county-clerk or call 908-527-4787.

Please be advised, Union County Mosquito Control will be spraying County and City Parks Tuesday morning, August 6, 2024, between the hours of 3:00 A.M. to 7:00 A.M. (Weather Permitting). Check below for the list of Parks to be sprayed. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Union County Office of Mosquito Control at 908-654-9834 or 908-654-9835.

County Parks

• Clark – Oak Ridge, Esposito
• Cranford – Nomahegan
• Elizabeth – Warinanco, Mattano, Rizzuto
• Garwood – Unami
• Hillside – Conant, DiFilippo, Rutgers
• Kenilworth – Black Brook
• Linden – Wheeler
• Mountainside – Echo Lake, Watchung Reservation Loop Area
• Plainfield – Cedar Brook, Green Brook
• Rahway – Rahway Pk.
• Scotch Plains – Ponderosa
• Springfield – Meisel

Town Parks

• Berkeley Heights – Columbia
• Linden – Memorial
• Plainfield – Milt Campbell
• Westfield – Tamaques, Mindowaskin, Brightwood
• Rahway – Madison Av., Maddsen Field
• Union – Biertuempfel, Zimmerman

Please be advised South Ave will be closed from Central Ave in Westfield to Center St in Garwood on Monday. August 5, 2024 for work by private contractor that will take place in the roadway. The closure will take place from 9:00AM to 2:00PM.Local and business traffic will be allowed into the closure from either end up to 607 South Ave in Garwood where the work will take place. Emergency vehicles will not be allowed through the work zone and should plan accordingly.A detour route will be in place diverting traffic around the closure. Motorist who use either South Ave or North Ave should plan alternate routes to avoid delays.