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Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados joined Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, Union County College President Dr. Margaret McMenamin and students at the opening of the college’s Hispanic Heritage Month and Hispanic Serving Institution Week Celebration at the Union County College Cranford campus. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The Union County Family Justice Center (FJC) held its grand opening Wednesday afternoon, marking the beginning of a new era in how services are provided to victims of domestic violence in Union County.

A joint venture of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, YWCA Union County, and other partner organizations, the approximately 2,000 square-foot Center is located on the second floor of the newly constructed Union County Courthouse Cherry Street Annex in downtown Elizabeth.

The federally endorsed FJC model provides for a one-stop, community-based approach to enhance the safety and welfare of domestic violence victims while ensuring that they also receive the maximum protections available under the law. The Union County FJC is the third to open in New Jersey, as the Essex County FJC opened in 2010 and Morris County opened its Center last year. There are more than 75 FJCs currently in operation nationwide.

“The County of Union and the Freeholder Board has an established record of providing critical assistance to victims of domestic violence through programs such as our Rape Crisis Center and to children in need through the Prosecutor’s Child Advocacy Center,” Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders Chairman Bruce H. Bergen said. “With the advent of the Family Justice Center, we are proud to join in the effort to create an innovative, one-stop location that will provide a comprehensive response and place to access services for victims of violence and their families.”

Funding for the creation of the Union County FJC and the provision of physical space in the Cherry Street Annex were approved by the Freeholder Board last year, as the County contracted with the YWCA for it to manage and coordinate the Center’s day-to-day operations.

Services to be offered at the Center include counseling, case management, court advocacy, and legal assistance, as well as referrals to a range of additional services in areas such as medical care, mental health, housing, rental aid, employment, immigration services, and more. On-site partner organizations at the Center will include Central Jersey Legal Services, Partners for Women and Justice, PROCEED Inc., the Prosecutor’s Office’s Domestic Violence Unit and Office of Victim/Witness Advocacy, and the YWCA, while off-site partners will include HomeFirst Interfaith Housing & Family Services and Trinitas Regional Medical Center.

“Family Justice Centers are a best practice in the field of domestic violence. For the YWCA Union County, as we approach our 40th consecutive year of providing services to victims, the opening of this Family Justice Center is truly a significant milestone,” YWCA Union County Chief Executive Officer Janice C. Lilien said. “We are extremely happy to be able to provide this next level of comprehensive services to victims of domestic violence in Union County, and to partner with the County, the Prosecutor’s Office, and other community agencies in doing so, and we hope that this program will strengthen the safety net for victims and help reduce domestic violence in Union County.”

Municipal police departments in Union County handle several thousand domestic violence calls annually, making for an average of about 10 every day. But only a fraction of those cases make their way through the criminal justice system, as victims often are financially dependent on their abusers and hesitant to participate in the legal process.

According to the San Diego-based Family Justice Center Alliance, jurisdictions in which FJCs are introduced have gone on to report reductions in domestic violence-related homicides ranging from about 45 to 95 percent. Nearly 20 percent of homicides that took place in Union County during the last five full calendar years were related to domestic violence – including several cases in which victims had previously obtained temporary restraining orders against their killers.

“Today’s ceremony marks the culmination of a vision through which many people and organizations came together to embrace the goal of making a terrible situation easier for some of our most vulnerable victims of crime,” acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park said. “It is my expectation and hope that the Union County Family Justice Center will come to be seen as a sanctuary that can help create a better life for these victims.” 

For more information about the Union County FJC, or to inquire about its services, please call 908-527-4980.

Union County Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski, Linda Carter, Alexander Mirabella and Vernell Wright joined Union County Manager Alfred Faella at the Union County Means Business Expo at Union County’s new Warinanco Park Sports Center in Roselle. The Expo is designed to help local businesses and entrepreneurs build their networks and grow their brands in a stylish, contemporary environment. For more information about Union County Means Business visit ucnj.org/ucmb or contact Deana Mesaros at 908-659-7412 or dmesaros@ucnj.org (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to welcome more than twenty LGBTQ advocacy and ally organizations to the first Family PRIDE CommUNITY Picnic, celebrating marriage equality in New Jersey, this Saturday, September 16 at Rahway River Park in Rahway from Noon until 5:00 p.m.

“All families are invited to join LGBTQ family equality advocates and allies from all over the Garden State in the park on Saturday to celebrate the strength of our diversity and to honor the great strides we’ve made in the movement for equality,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen.

LGBTQ family and marriage equality advocacy and ally organizations will be set up on site all day with general information, as well as support and networking resources. Some of the advocacy and ally organizations registered for the event include:
CASA of Union County, Inc.
Human Rights Campaign (Greater NY / New Jersey)
Hyacinth AIDS Foundation
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency
Planned Parenthood of Northern, Central, & Southern NJ
Prevention Links
Rahway Family Success
Social Justice Matters, Inc.
Union County College Gay Straight Alliance
Union County Office on Women
Union County Sheriff’s Office
Union County Youth Services
WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
YWCA Union County

A celebration of all families, the free Family PRIDE CommUNITY Picnic will include arts and crafts (featuring a “LOVE Makes a Family” poster making station), inflatable bounce houses for all ages, face painting, music and much more.

The Family Equality Rally will kick off at 1:00 P.M. with special guest speakers as well as powerful renditions of songs that celebrate unity and equality by the voices of Union County’s own Mystic Vision Players. Speakers include local elected officials as well as representatives from the State of New Jersey Division of Children Protection and Permanency, Union County College’s Gay Straight Alliance, and Human Rights Campaign (Greater NY / New Jersey). Parents and children are encouraged to show family Pride with a sign or banner.

Esteemed children’s music band, Michael and the Rockness Monsters will join in the day’s celebration with a live family concert starting at 2:30 P.M.

Family field day team games will kick off at 3:30 P.M. Families and individuals of all ages (adults, teens, and children are all welcome) interested in participating in the field day competition should register online at ucnj.org/Pride so that teams can be formed.

Families are invited to pack a bag lunch and head out to the park with blankets and lawn chairs for an afternoon of fun. Food trucks will also be on site for those who wish to purchase lunch.

In the event of inclement weather the Family PRIDE CommUNITY Picnic will be held at the Warinanco Sports Center, Warinanco Park in Elizabeth/Roselle.

The Family PRIDE CommUNITY Picnic is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders with additional support from WellCare Health Plans, Inc., Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar (North Plainfield), CASA of Union County, PepsiCo (Piscataway), ShopRite (Clark), Sam’s Club, Smarties Candy Company, Hillside Candy, and Fusion D’Lite (Garwood).

For more information visit ucnj.org/Pride, or find the Union County Family PRIDE CommUNITY Picnic event page at Facebook.com/CountyOfUnion, or call the Union County Office of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Vice Chairman Sergio Granados present a resolution to Marc and Lauren Weissberg and their sons Reid and Holden of Springfield commending “Team Weissberg” on their efforts to raise awareness about Dup15q Syndrome and the efforts of the Dup15q Alliance.

Dup15q Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes an individual to have extra genetic material from chromosome 15, causing a variety of symptoms, from autism to low muscle tone to cognitive impairment and seizure disorders.

The Freeholder Board also extends its best wishes for the success of the September 16, 2017 Hope for Holden Benefit for the Dup15q Alliance. For information about the benefit, please visit www.dup15q.org/events/fundraisers/hope-for-holden.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi hosted an educational seminar open to all Notaries Public and prospective notaries featuring Union County Surrogate James S. LaCorte, Esq. as the main speaker at the John H. Stamler Police Academy in Scotch Plains.

The Notary Public course is a service being offered by the Office of the Union County Clerk. It is designed to instruct Notaries Public on how to perform their duties with confidence and diligence. Notaries learn about the new online application process and the legal aspects of performing the duties of a Notary Public in an effort to avoid liability issues.

For more information visit https://ucnj.org/county-clerk/notary-public-services/ or call the County Clerk’s office at 908-527-4787

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Vice Chairman Sergio Granados spoke with Toni Ann Turco and Rich Erric of Home for Good Dogs Rescue and met some puppies up for adoption at the organization’s Bark B Que event at Meisel Park in Springfield. The Freeholder Board is a proud sponsor of the event. For more about Home for Good Dogs Rescue visit www.homeforgooddogs.org. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

 There will be no impact on flight operations, but airline passengers and motorists may notice simulated smoke and numerous emergency vehicles in and around the airport.

The Port Authority is advising aviation passengers and motorists of an emergency response full-scale exercise at Newark Liberty International Airport from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 9.  The exercise will not delay flight operations, but the public may notice simulated smoke and numerous emergency vehicles as part of the exercise. 

The exercise will test the airport’s emergency plan for mutual aid response, enabling airport personnel and local emergency response organizations to train together and validate response procedures.

The exercise will include members of the Port Authority along with federal, state, local and airline partners.