Author: Web Site Administrator

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce a call for visual artists to participate in the County’s first Art Outside The Box public art project.

Art Outside The Box is a new countywide creative placemaking project created to support Union County visual artists by offering a nontraditional exhibition opportunity that broadens and diversifies public exposure to art murals.

“Art Outside The Box is an innovative public art project that seeks to engage residents and visitors by integrating visual art with public spaces in our communities,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “The Freeholder Board is proud to provide opportunities that celebrate creativity, enhance community identity, and encourage cultural tourism.”

This call for entries is open to all 2D visual artists (painters, photographers, printmakers, graphic and computer/digital artists) residing in or working in Union County. Artists are invited to submit up to four different designs for project consideration. The deadline for entry is August 1, 2015.

The theme for this submission of Art Outside The Box entries is diversity. Artists should submit work that is uplifting, colorful, and appropriate for people of all ages.  There is no fee required to participate.

Offered as part of Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh’s Building A Community of the Arts initiative, a total of nine original artworks will be selected to cover traffic control boxes in Elizabeth, Linden, and Rahway, NJ. Each artwork will be reproduced on a special vinyl adhesive film and professionally applied to the exterior of the pre-selected traffic control boxes. 

Funded by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Art Outside The Box project will provide a $200 honorarium for each artist whose work is selected.  Details about the project, including entry form, traffic control box locations, reference samples, and artist agreement are available online at www.ucnj.org/artoutsidethebox.

Deadline for entry is August 1, 2015.

Entries will be juried and selected for the program based on artistic excellence, technical merit, the ability to complement the setting and how well it translates into large-scale viewing.

For further details about how to participate, please call the Union County Department of Cultural Heritage at (908) 558-2550 or visit our website at:  ucnj.org/artoutsidethebox.

Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan (R) thanked VFW Post 2433 Commander Leo Graf (3^rd R) and past Commander and Quartermaster Bob Johnsen (2^nd R) as they presented the Sheriff’s Office K9 Search and Rescue Unit with 5 K9 ballistic vests Post 2433 donated.  The officers from the K9 unit are (from left) Officer Ryan Wilson, Detective Anthony Gialanella, Officer Timothy O’Grady, Officer Bryan Frew and Sgt. Brian Howarth. K9 Ruger is wearing one of the donated vests. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright (3^rd from left) congratulates incoming UNICO National President Dr. Ann Walko (second from left). They are joined by Anthony Bengivenga (first, left), President of the Westfield Chapter of UNICO, and (fourth , left), Joe Almeida, President of the Union Chapter of UNICO.

Walko, a professor at Kean University, is also a resident of Scotch Plains. She begins her tenure as President in July. UNICO National is the nation’s largest Italian-American non-profit service organization whose chapters engage in philanthropic, cultural, educational and anti-bias activities.  The organization has 140 chapters nationwide.

Photo by Lamar Mackson, Public Information Division

Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski (R) joined employees from McKinsey & Company working on an Adopt a Park Project in the Watchung Reservation. The employees volunteer their time for the cleanup and the company provided equipment, materials and tools to help with the improvement project. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The popular Wednesday Matinee Series at Trailside Nature & Science Center returns on July 1, offering family entertainment beginning at 1:30 p.m.  All shows, which run approximately 45 minutes, are recommended for children ages 4 years of age and up. Admission is $5.00 per person and tickets go on sale at 1:00 p.m. the day of the show.

“The Summer Wednesday Matinee Series at Trailside presents imaginative, interactive and educational shows which teach and entertain the whole family,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh.

• On July 1, join the fabulous Mr. Fish as we present ”Fantastic Forces,” a fast paced, funny show with interactive audience participation. Gravity, sound waves, air pressure and other forces are engagingly illustrated in this program sponsored by the Trailside Museum Association.
• On July 8, “Mammal Mania” will feature an educational and fun program featuring live animals. Join Wallaby Tales Traveling Zoo for an engaging and humorous show.
• On July 15 you won’t want to miss “Rizzo’s Reptiles.” This program mixes nature, environment and conservation. The program features live snakes, turtles and an alligator.
• On July 22, Mr. Fish returns in ”Phenomenal Physics,” featuring astounding tricks with scientific explanations.
• On July 29, there’s pure laser fun set to rock and pop music in a show entitled ”Lasermania.”
• August 5, “Bubble Trouble” mixes comedy and music with featured entertainer Jeff Boyer who juggles, sculpts and builds with bubbles, some which are fog-filled.

The Wednesday Matinee Series concludes on August 12 with “Abracadabra, It’s Joe Fisher.” This show is a blend of magic, audience participation, comedy and excitement.

For additional information about the Wednesday Matinee Series or other upcoming programs and special events, please call 908-789-3670 or visit us at www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside Nature & Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a facility of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation.

Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan swears in Dennis Burke as he is promoted to the rank of Captain during a ceremony at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. Holding the Bible is Captain Burke’s wife Meredith. Captain Burke, a 20-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, will continue his assignment as the Commander of the Fugitive, Family Violence and Street Crime Units. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

RAHWAY, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for confidential personal documents will be available on Thursday, July 9, at Rahway River Park in Rahway.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft and eliminate clutter in their homes,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “It is a cost-effective way to assist our recycling efforts and it ties in with Union County’s other Go Green Initiatives.”

The July 9^th shredding event will take place at Rahway River Park in Rahway, off St. Georges Avenue. NEXCUT Shredding of Elizabeth will be shredding documents at the site from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. The shredding 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. Documents should not be bound. 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 dumped onto a conveyor belt and shredded on site. Participants are welcome to view the shredding process via a closed-circuit television. Shredded documents are then recycled, shipped to paper mills and used as pulp. The next shredding event will take place Saturday, August 8, on the campus of Kean University in Union.

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 Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889 or visit us online at www.ucnj.org/recycle .

KENILWORTH, NJ—The County of Union will present a night of Family Fun and Fireworks on Sunday, July 5th from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. at Galloping Hill Golf Course, 3 Golf Drive, in Kenilworth. Admission is free, and the event will be held rain or shine.

There will be free entertainment, including music, and inflatables for children. Attendees will be able to purchase food from trucks offering Italian Ice and hot pretzels, Southern Style Smoked BBQ and Latin food.  Live music performed by Big Bang Baby will begin at 7 p.m.  Fireworks will begin at dark. 

Free parking and shuttle service to the Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth will be provided from Union County College in Cranford which is located at 1033 Springfield Avenue. Shuttles will run continuously from 4:30 p.m. until the end of event.  Please note there will not be parking available on site at the Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth for the general public, however those who are disabled and provide parking permits will be permitted to park on site.  There will also be a paratransit bus available for those who need accessible transportation to  Galloping Hill from Union County College in Cranford.

The public is encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for use on the lawn of the driving range of the facility, where the event will occur.  The public may bring food in for picnicking but no alcohol.

For a complete listing of summer events visit ucnj.org.

Union County Mosquito Control will be spraying for adult mosquito control in the following areas. Spraying will commence approximately at 7:30 pm and cease at approximately 11:30 pm. All spraying is dependent on clear weather and low wind velocity.

• Berkeley Hts.-Plainfield Ave, D.P.W. yard, Mt. Carmel Field,
• Clark– Ivy St., King St., Gertrude St., Acken Dr., Fairview Rd., Madison Hill Rd. ( Behind St. Agnes Church), Frances Dr., Featherbed La., Conger Way
• Cranford-Cornell Rd. & Colby La., Stoughton Ave., Crane Pkwy.
• Elizabeth– Clarkson Ave., Trumble & 3rd St., S. Fifth , Loomis, Radcliff, & Doyle
• Hillside– Harvard, Cornell, Westminster area
• Kenilworth– Dorsett Dr., Water Co. Rd., Lafayette
• Linden– Trembley Point area, Walter St.
• New Providence– Grove St. area, Maple Ave. area, Division St. area
• Plainfield– Rock Ave., Abbond Ct., Reeve Terrace, Berkeley Terrace, Woodland Ave., Cushing Rd.
• Rahway– Leesville Ave., Martin St., Seminary Rd., Church St., River Rd., Whittier St., Midwood Rd., Briarcliff @ Madison Hill Rd.
• Roselle– Chestnut St., 7th Ave., E. 6th Ave., Columbus Ave., Raritan Rd., Pine St.
• Scotch Plains– Frank St., Tempe Ct., Lambertsmile Rd. behind Robert Wood Johnson
• Summit– New Providence Rd. @ Summit Yard, Stanley Ave.
• Springfield– Layng Terrace, Diven St., Laurel Dr.
• Westfield– Livingston St., Windsor Rd., Marcellus Dr.
• County Parks- Winfield/Union County Pkwy., Rahway/Rahway River Park, Hillside/ Conant Park, Clark/ Oakridge Park, Elizabeth/ Mantano Park, Kenilworth/Lenape Park
• Town Parks– Linden/Memorial Park, Clark/ Bartell Park, Union/Biertempful Park/Radkin Park, Berkeley Hts./ Mt Carmel

ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of six different fabric and found object creations by Paula Borenstein in the gallery space at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, located in the historic St. John’s Parsonage at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth. A selection of her work entitled “Girls” is on display at the Pearl Street Gallery through August 14. The public is invited to enjoy the exhibit during regular gallery hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

Paula Borenstein was the Artist in Residence at the Elizabeth Public Library in the Fall of 2014. During that time, she conducted workshops, exhibited fabric collages, and created a room-sized installation entitled “Sanctuary” that traced her family’s history as refugees in the United States following World War II. Her program was made possible in part by a HEART Grant (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

“Paula has been an active participant in all things artistic and historical in Elizabeth for many years,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Advisory Board. “It’s a great pleasure to display her beautiful collages.”

Paula Borenstein is a founding member, past-president and current vice president of the Elizabeth Arts Council. The EAC was founded in 1999 and Paula has participated in every show, exhibiting mainly photographs and creating art installations. She is affiliated with the Elizabeth Landmarks and Preservation Committee, the Newark Historical Society, the Newark Landmarks and Preservation Committee, and the Union County Historical Society.

Ms. Borenstein earned a B.A. in History from Rutgers University in Newark and a Masters in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin School of Library and Information Science.

As a curator, Paula has put on many exhibits in Elizabeth, including an exhibit on James Thurber at the Elizabeth Public Library; the exhibit “Elizabeth through Artists’ Eyes” at Boxwood Hall Historic Site; and “Cool Art in June” and other exhibits sponsored by the Elizabeth Arts Council at various venues.

Union County artists (whose works can be hung on a wall) interested in exhibiting in the gallery space are welcome to apply. For more information about the Pearl Street Gallery or other programs, please contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth NJ 07202. Free on-site parking is available. Telephone 908-558-2550. NJ Relay users can dial 711. Send E-mail to: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.