Author: Web Site Administrator

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that the next mobile paper-shredding program for personal, confidential documents will visit New Providence on Saturday, May 14.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft by providing a convenient way to shred your confidential documents,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen. “It promotes our County recycling efforts and ties in with Union County’s other Green Initiatives.”

The May 14^th shredding event will take place at the Alcatel-Lucent facility, 600 Mountain Avenue in New Providence. NEXCUT Shredding of Elizabeth will be shredding personal documents from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. The event will end before 1 p.m. if the shredding truck reaches capacity.

All Union County residents are eligible to use the paper-shredding service. In an effort to accommodate everyone, there is a limit of four, 10-pound bags or boxes per person. This is a garbage-free event so please bring your documents in paper bags if at all possible. Plastic bags and boxes will be returned. Please remove plastic binders and paperclips. Paper that is wet/damp will not be accepted. Residents should continue to recycle non-confidential papers and magazines with their municipal recycling program.

Documents are put into 96-gallon containers provided by the shredding company. The items are then dumped onto a conveyor belt and shredded on site. Participants are welcome to view the shredding process via a closed-circuit television. The shredded documents are then recycled, shipped to paper mills and used as pulp. The next shredding event will take place Saturday, June 4^th at Union County College in Cranford.

The mobile shredding program is paid for through New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Recycling Enhancement Act Grant Funds. For more information about future events or directions please call the Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889 or visit us online at www.ucnj.org/recycle .

Become a 4-H volunteer today and help create life-changing experiences for youth in your community. Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County is seeking an adult volunteer leader for their 4-H Anime Club.

“Volunteers, parents, and other adults are a valued and essential part of the 4-H program and have a profound impact on the 4-H youth members – guiding them as they connect with their community, and develop leadership and organizational skills,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “The Freeholder Board is proud to support 4-H and its guiding principles of thoughtfulness, community service and healthy living.”

Union County’s 4-H Anime Club meets on the meets on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month at the Collen Fraser Building in Westfield from 4 to 6 p.m. Students explore anime, manga, and Japanese culture. Club activities include: watching and critique anime, presentations and contests, discussion groups, and community service events.

The Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H Program provides training for adult leaders and curriculum materials. The current leader of the Union County 4-H Anime Club is available to assist in the training of the next leader. For more information or to apply for the adult volunteer leader for the Union County 4-H Anime Club position please contact Jim Nichnadowicz, Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Agent at 908-654-9854 or email him at jnichnadowicz@ucnj.org.

Union County 4-H Clubs are run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, supported in part by the Freeholder Board. The clubs belong to a 100-year American tradition established by the U.S Department of Agriculture by an Act of Congress, originally meant to help rural communities connect with useful information about agriculture and family health.

Over the years, 4-H has kept pace with the shift to urban and suburban life, using popular activities to help youngsters to engage in civic affairs and develop related skills such as teamwork and public speaking.

In Union County, the current 4-H slate includes modern clubs like Anime, Lego Robotics, S.T.E.M. and Fashion Design. The program also offers traditional favorites such as horticulture, cooking and archery. Students can also join a Variety Club and explore topics of their own creation. For older students, 4-H offers membership in the Community Service Club, which plans and conducts community service programs throughout Union County.

For more information about Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County and the Union County 4-H clubs visit ucnj.org/rce or call 908-654-9854.

Preferred Current Lifeguard/CPR/AED/First Aid Certification (training if requirements met)

Please Contact 908-298-7849 Monday – Friday 9:00am – 3:30pm or e-mail warinanco@ucnj.org

 

Season Runs June 25th – September 5th  

$11.00 Per Hour

 

A total of 164 poems were entered by students in 4th thought 8th grade from 29 schools throughout Union County. The winners were selected by a group of volunteer judges. This event is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders in cooperation with the Union County Shade Tree Advisory Board.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski present resolutions to the winners of 2016 Union County Arbor Day Poetry Contest.

Fourth Grade

Fifth Grade

Sixth Grade

Seventh Grade

Eighth Grade

Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholder Angel G. Estrada congratulate Nelson Rodriguez Ceron of Elizabeth on recently becoming a U.S. citizen during a ceremony at the Stephen Sampson Senior Citizen Center in Elizabeth. Nelson, 87, was one of more than 100 people who reached their goal of American citizenship through the We Are One New Jersey Union County Center. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Total of $1.5 million in grants awarded second annual time for various road and municipal improvements

Union County, NJ—The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders today announced the second annual infrastructure awards to 21 municipalities to help fund projects aimed at spurring economic development growth and street improvements throughout the County.

As part of his Chairman’s initiatives for 2016, Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen had asked that municipalities focus on street improvements, given the toll on local roads over the past several winters. As a result, 20 of 21 municipalities responding will use their award to make road improvements, many of which are repaving.

The program was conceived by Freeholder Christopher Hudak in 2015, developed through the County Freeholder Fiscal Committee the past two years, and administered by the Department of Economic Development. This year’s Fiscal Committee is chaired by Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, and includes Freeholders Hudak, Bette Jane Kowalski, and Vernell Wright.

“The end result of several bad winters and tough budgets during a time of shrinking state and federal funding have placed a strain on local roads,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “With this in mind, our goal is to prioritize road projects, and our municipal partners responded with great interest in making these improvements.”

The matching grant initiative makes available approximately $1.5 million to Union County’s 21 municipalities, assisting them to accomplish tasks undertaken in calendar year 2016. The funding for the grant is provided through the proceeds from the sale of Runnells Specialized Hospital in 2014.

“Union County is a commuter County, and transportation—including our local roadways—is at the heart of this

network,” said Freeholder Kowalski. “Better roads not only ensure the safer flow of traffic with less stress on vehicles, but also the smoother flow of commerce, which is essential to the economic well-being of the County.”

Some examples of work funded include:  roadway improvements to three local roads in Berkeley Heights, Westfield

Avenue streetscape project in Clark,  MacLennan Place Roadway improvements in Fanwood, Center Street milling project in Garwood, West Henry Street improvements in Linden, resurfacing on East Second Street in Plainfield, East Second Avenue improvements in Roselle, improvements to Larch Street in Roselle Park, and the 2016 Union Township Road Rehab project. 

Photos of Each Town

Town-By-Town Amounts Awarded 

Municipality	Amount Awarded
Berkeley Heights	$50,000
Clark	$50,000
Cranford	$76,000
Elizabeth	$105,000
Fanwood	$65,000
Garwood	$65,000
Hillside	$50,000
Kenilworth	$75,000
Linden	$100,000
Mountainside	$50,000
New Providence	$50,000
Plainfield	$100,000
Rahway	$50,000
Roselle	$50,000
Roselle Park	$50,000
Scotch Plains	$100,000
Springfield	$64,000
Summit	$100,000
Union	$100,000
Westfield	$100,000
Winfield	$50,000

 

 

Union County’s Sensory Friendly Theatre series brings Sleeping Beauty – one of the greatest classical story ballets of all time – to life on stage at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway on Sunday, May 1 at 2:00 p.m.

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

“The sensory-friendly performance series is designed to offer a relaxed and safe theatre environment for children and adults with sensory sensitivities and other disabilities,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “The Freeholder Board is proud to offer an opportunity for families of all abilities to experience one of New Jersey Ballet’s most popular ballets for families.”

Sleeping Beauty is performed with original “storyteller narration” so even the littlest theatergoer can keep up with ease. This beautiful ballet has been an enduring favorite with adults and children for more than a hundred years. NJ Ballet fills the stage with familiar characters: Princess Aurora, the Handsome Prince, the good Lilac Fairy, the wicked fairy Carabosse, Puss in Boots, Red Riding Hood, the Blue Bird and the Enchanted Princess. With its colorful costumes and scenery, and Tchaikovsky’s soaring score, Sleeping Beauty is a splendid introduction to dance theatre for young children and grand entertainment for the whole family.

For each of the performances in the Sensory Friendly Theatre series the theatre environment at the Union County PAC will be adjusted to provide a sensory-friendly, comfortable and judgment-free space that is welcoming for all families. Autism Friendly Spaces implements the supportive atmosphere at each of the Sensory-friendly performances. For more information on what to expect at a Sensory Friendly Theatre performance visit ucpac.org.

Union County’s Sensory Friendly Theatre series is made possible, in part, by funding from the NJ Department of Community Affairs through a Recreational Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities Grant.

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 Saturday from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM and is also open late on Thursdays until 8:00 PM.

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 908-527-4781 or visit ucnj.org.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen joined Jim Vagias of the American Theater Group in welcoming high school students to the first annual Drama Festival at the Hamilton Stage in Rahway.

High school students from Rahway High School, Union County Academy for the Performing Arts, and Abraham Clark High School, as well as students from Montclair and Bound Brook, participated in the day-long Drama Festival produced by American Theater Group, a nonprofit professional theatre company.

Each school participating in the Drama Festival had the opportunity to present a scene from a play or musical to a panel of working members of the Broadway theatre industry who will offer in-depth critiques of the student presentations.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders sponsors students from Union County high schools to participate in the first annual Drama Festival.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will recognize local artists and present awards at a reception on Wednesday, May 4, at the 15^th Annual Exhibit and Contest for County of Union Employees and Their Families. The free reception and awards ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Elizabethtown Gas Company, located in the Liberty Hall Center, 1085 Morris Avenue in Union.

“This show offers a chance for our Union County employees, retired employees, County programs volunteers, and family members to shine,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board. “The artwork that they do in their spare time is outstanding, and we are proud to display it in the beautiful atrium space of the Liberty Hall Center. We are grateful to Elizabethtown Gas for generously hosting the program and awards reception and to the National Arts Program Foundation for funding the prize awards.”

Presented in partnership with the National Arts Program®, the exhibit will be open weekdays until May 24, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“The Freeholders share the goal of the National Arts Program Foundation to reach as many people as possible of all ages, offering them a chance to show their creations,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “We invite you to view this exhibit of exceptional artwork at the Liberty Hall Center.”

The art exhibit will be judged by three prominent artists/art professionals: Marguerite Brennan, Lawrence Cappiello and Frank Falotico.

Marguerite Brennan graduated in 1980 with a BFA from Philadelphia College of Art. Her studies in ceramics continued in Mexico at the Instituto de Allende, in San Miguel de Allende and Otis Institute of Parsons School of Design, Los Angeles, California. Her clay-making passion encompasses arenas of design in both functional and sculptural work distinguished by her trademark of naïve animal imagery. The functional work is hand built, not thrown on the wheel. She maintains her studio at her home in Summit, NJ, where she also gives clay lessons to the young and young-at-heart. She has exhibited extensively in the U.S. and Canada, and she has won numerous ceramic awards. Her work is in the private collections of Nicolas Cage, Bette Midler, Lorraine Bracco, Francis Ford Coppola, Aidan Quinn and David Strathairn.

Lawrence Cappiello is a founder of Arts Guild New Jersey (formerly the Arts Guild of Rahway), a non-profit center for the Arts in Rahway, NJ, and he has served as Executive Director of the organization since 1998. Mr. Cappiello was an Art major at Colby College, Waterville, Maine (1974) and holds an MA degree in Studio Art and Art Education from Kean University (1998). He has been making pictures since the age of three and has several years of other formal training in Art at The Art Students League in New York City and various other institutions in New Jersey and New York.

Frank Falotico is the Director of the duCret School of Art in Plainfield. Mr. Falotico has a B.A. in Fine Art from Monmouth College, is a graduate of the duCret School of Art and studied at the Art Students League in New York. He has exhibited his paintings in numerous shows in New Jersey and New York including the Swain Galleries in Plainfield, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Rutgers University, and the Salmagundi Club in New York City.

The National Arts Program® is in its 31^st year with 86 annual programs in 38 states. The program was conceived by Leonard E.B. Andrews (1925 – 2009), an art collector, publisher, business executive and journalist, “for the encouragement and development of artistic expression.” The goal of the National Arts Program® is to provide an uninhibited opportunity for people to present their talent, at whatever level, in a free, public exhibition. The National Arts Program® is sponsored by The National Arts Program Foundation of Malvern, Pennsylvania. To learn more about the program, visit www.thenationalartsprogram.org.

Additional support for this event is provided by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth NJ 07202. Telephone (908) 558-2550 or e-mail: culturalinfo@ucnj.org. NJ relay users dial 711.