Author: Web Site Administrator

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders would like to invite members of the community to honor the memory of the 60 Union County residents who perished in the 9/11 attacks by visiting the Union County September 11th Memorial next Thursday, Sept. 11th from the morning hours until 9 p.m. at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside.

Members of the Union County Prosecutor’s Office and Union County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with other law enforcement members throughout the County will provide a uniformed Honor Guard standing watch at the memorial and the public will be able to light candles in memory of those lost in the attacks.

“The Union County September 11th Memorial serves as a place of reverence for those who tragically perished and where we can bring the community together in a reflective setting to mark this day,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak.

The Union County memorial honors those lost in the attacks using design elements that include two girders from the World Trade Center arranged within a five sided area representing the Pentagon, and an Eternal Flame representing those who died in Pennsylvania. The Flame also honors members of the Armed Services and emergency responders.

In addition to these elements, the names of the 60 deceased Union County residents are etched into the memorial.

Dedicated on Sept. 13, 2003 the memorial was constructed through private donations including in-kind work by labor unions and materials at cost.

The Freeholder Board worked with residents of Cranford, Elizabeth, Kenilworth, Linden, Mountainside, Rahway, Scotch Plains, Summit, Union and Westfield in planning and building the Memorial.

It is located near the Springfield Avenue entrance of Echo Lake Park on the border of Mountainside and Springfield.

For additional information on the Union County September 11th Memorial, or information on visitation hours, contact the Union County Office of Public Information at 877-424-1234 or visit online atucnj.org/9-11-memorial

Acting Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan announced today the capture of a longtime fugitive wanted by the Sheriff’s Office since 2008.

Sheriff’s Officers arrested Charles Riccio in the early hours Thursday morning in East Rutherford.

Riccio, 37, had been on the run since failing to appear for an arraignment 6 years ago after he was charged with computer theft by access in Elizabeth. He is accused of manipulating purchase receipts while he was the store manage at Value Furniture Mattress Warehouse during 2007 and 2008 and pocketing $36,000 in cash payments.

Sheriff’s Officers located Riccio by acting on a tip he had recently returned to New Jersey from Las Vegas. He was taken into custody without incident.

Acting Sheriff Cryan noted that Riccio has other New Jersey warrants in Hudson and Ocean Counties. He was booked into the Union County Jail without bail.

The Acting Sheriff credited Officers Richard Hugelmeyer and George Gyure and Sgt. Carlo Caparruva with making the arrest.

Acting Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan would like to remind residents that September is National Preparedness Month, a time to make sure everyone is ready in the event of an emergency or weather-related disaster.

Sponsored by FEMA, National Preparedness Month aims to educate and encourage Americans to prepare for and be able to respond to all types of emergencies.

“This is a time to prepare yourself and your family for events like Hurricanes Irene and Sandy,” Acting Sheriff Cryan said. “Emergencies can happen unexpectedly and we all need to be ready for them.”

Everyone should have an emergency plan addressing all types of potential disaster scenarios. Discuss with family, friends and neighbors in advance about how you will contact each other, where you will meet and what you will do in different situations.

Make sure that you and your family are prepared for an a disaster by making an emergency kit to ensure you can go for at least three days without electricity, water service, access to a supermarket or other local services.

Emergency kits should include at least a three to five day supply of non-perishable food and water, prescription medications, baby supplies and any additional items for special medical needs. Your kit should also include important phone numbers for doctors as well as car cell-phone chargers.

A battery-operated radio, flash lights, extra batteries as well as non-electric items likes can openers should also be included in the kit.

The needs of pets should also be taken into consideration when planning and making an emergency kit.

Staying informed and being aware of news updates is vital during a crisis.

“It is incredibly important to know what is happening before, during and after an emergency,” said Acting Sheriff Cryan. “Awareness can save lives.”

In the event of an emergency, everyone is urged to tune in, log-on, ‘like’ or ‘follow’ state, county, local and federal agencies on social media for credible disaster-relation information such as alerts and warnings, situational updates and where to find help. Emergency management officials suggest everyone should sign up for phone, e-mail and text alerts.

In New Jersey, hurricane season runs through November so following the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center regarding storm predictions and forecasts is essential.

Residents interested in volunteering to help their community in the event of an emergency should consider attending Community Emergency Response Team training.  Information about CERT training can be found on the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management website atwww.state.nj.us/njoem/citizen/cert or call 1-877-237-8411.

For more information about being prepared for an emergency visit www.ready.nj.gov.

By Joseph Cryan

As we pause on the sad anniversary marking the horrific events on September 11, 2001, we remember the innocent victims and the heroes who perished that day.

We remember these fallen Americans and honor them in different ways. Some will pay a respectful, somber visit to lower Manhattan. Other people will attend a service in their home towns at a local memorial dedicated to those who died in the terror attacks. And for some it will be a quiet day of prayer and reflection.

September 11th is a National Day of Service and Remembrance. On the anniversary of the attacks, Americans should unite in service in the same remarkable way that so many came together following the attacks.

This is time and opportunity to volunteer in our communities and support and honor veterans, soldiers, military families and first responders.

Donating blood is a perfect example of service, giving back and pitching in just as thousands of Americans did in the days and weeks after the terror attacks.

Also, don’t forget our first responders. Many made the ultimate sacrifice that day and today all our firefighters, police officers and emergency service workers continue to strive to keep us safe. This includes the members of our armed forces. They deserve our thanks and support.

This September 11th reach out and be active in your community in honor of those Americans we lost that day and remember their families and the people who work to protect us every day.

We must never forget.

Joseph Cryan is the Acting Union County Sheriff.

LINDEN, 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, September 18, at the Recycling Center in Linden.

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

The September 18^th shredding event will take place at the Linden Recycling Center, located at 2 Donaldson Place in Linden. 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, September 27, in Westfield.

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 atwww.ucnj.org/recycle .

[via PSEG, media contact: John Margaritis (908) 412-2231]

(August 26, 2014 – Newark, NJ) Public Service Electric & Gas Co. (PSE&G), New Jersey’s largest utility, is upgrading and replacing an underground electric transmission circuit in Union County. The purpose of this infrastructure upgrade is to continue to ensure safe, reliable utility service for area residents and business owners. The circuit runs from PSE&G’s Springfield Road Substation through Union, Kenilworth, Roselle Park and Cranford into the Aldene Switching Station.

Project construction activities will be completed intermittently between September 2014 and December 2014. We will be working specifically in your area for short durations throughout this period and a majority of the work will last for 1-2 days at a time. PSE&G and our partner, W.A. Chester, will be working in the following locations:

PSE&G is currently anticipating activities occurring intermittently in each community and location from September 2014 through December 2014:

In Union, work will be occurring at the end of Iorio Ct. and on Route 22 near N.Michigan Ave.;

In Kenilworth, work will be occurring on N. Michigan Ave near Via Vitale, Jefferson Ave., and Fairfield Ave.;

In Roselle Park, work will be occurring near Colfax Ave. and Woodside Rd.;

In Cranford, work will be occurring on South Ave E. near Aldene Rd.

To expedite this work, PSE&G has scheduled extended work hours Monday through Friday, with some 24-hr. and/or weekend work expected during certain aspects of the project. It should be noted that the construction dates and scheduled work hours identified are tentative and subject to variations due to the construction process and weather sensitive work activities. Road or lane closings with possible detours will be necessary during construction. If possible, motorists are encouraged to travel an alternate route until the work is completed. Police detail will be on site at all times to oversee new traffic patterns. Interruptions will be kept to a minimum, and PSE&G regrets any inconvenience the project may cause.

For everyone’s safety, PSE&G crews use work area protection including police department traffic management assistance, traffic cones, barriers, utility work signage, and flaggers, providing safety measures for project completion. The utility reminds motorists to slow down and be alert when driving past a PSE&G worksite.

Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is New Jersey’s oldest and largest regulated gas and electric delivery utility, serving nearly three-quarters of the state’s population. PSE&G is the winner of the ReliabilityOne Award for superior electric system reliability. PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a diversified energy company (www.pseg.com).

Union County, NJ – All five of Union County’s vocational-technical high schools have placed among the top public high schools in the latest nationwide survey. The five schools include the new Academy for Performing Arts, which graduated its third class in June, and UC Vo-Tech, Union County’s traditional high-demand career skills training school.

The survey, available online from The Daily Beast (an affiliate of the leading global media company IAC), consists of a selected national pool of 700 top-performing high schools.

“The Union County Vocational-Technical School District shares a mission of preparing our students to embrace life-long learning, engage with their peers, meet the demands of challenging careers, and emerge as civic leaders,” said UCVTS Superintendent Peter A. Capodice. “This latest recognition is a testament to the dedication of our students and the administrators, staff, and parents who all contribute to this mission.”

“The Freeholder Board is committed to supporting opportunities that provide our students with a firm foundation in today’s competitive workforce, and it is gratifying to see the well-earned reputation of UCVTS echoed in a national survey,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak.

In the Daily Beast survey, Magnet High School ranked 24^th. Magnet also ranked #4 out of 25 schools included in the survey’s highly competitive Northeast region.

The Academy for Allied Health Sciences ranked 43^rd nationwide and #10 in the Northeast.

UC-Tech ranked 70 nationwide and #21 in the Northeast.

The Academy for Performing Arts ranked 89^th nationwide, and the Academy for Information Technology ranked 175^th nationwide.

Among other recent recognitions, all five schools were also included in the US News & World Report2014 survey which compared more than 31,200 public high schools nationwide. Magnet and Allied Health were awarded Gold rankings, Information Technology was awarded Silver, and Performing Arts and UC Vo-Tech both won Bronze.

Magnet High school and Academy of Information Technology also each received a National Blue Ribbon for excellence in 2013 from the U.S. Department of Education.

The UCVTS campus is located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. Expanded and updated considerably within recent years, the campus now includes five high schools that engage students in challenging college-level academics and high demand workforce skills within a supportive environment:

The Academy for Allied Health Sciences – AHS offers a comprehensive program that prepares the doctors, nurses, medical technicians, and health care managers of tomorrow.

The Academy for Information Technology – Students enrolled in the Academy pursue a college-level technical training program in computer science and a full regimen of honors level academic classes.

Magnet High School – The Magnet is one of the most competitive and successful specialized programs in the region. Students follow a comprehensive course of study in engineering as well as mathematics, science and technology.

The Academy for Performing Arts – APA combines intensive study in theatre arts, dance, and rigorous academics culminating with a senior year at Kean University. Vo-Tech’s newest school, APA graduated its first class in June 2014.

Union County Vocational-Technical High School – UC Vo-Tech combines high-end academics with access to career or technical training program in high demand fields including automotive technology, building trades, communication, public safety, culinary arts and cosmetology.

Highlights from the 2013-2014 school year include a first-place finish for the Robotics Club at the Regional FRC FIRST Robotics competition, six medals in the statewide Science Olympiad competition, three top winners in the State Aviation Art Competition, and national placement for six members of the Future Business Leaders of America Club at the FBLA conference in Tennessee.

UCVTS students are also encouraged to engage in community service projects, including the annual campus-wide Relay for Life fund raiser for cancer research which raised $138,000 last spring.

“UCVTS is an invaluable public asset that helps to grow the next generation of our entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and successful professionals,” Hudak said. “The Freeholder Board is very proud to support our students and the entire school community.”

Development of the UCVTS campus continues this year, with construction starting on a major expansion of UC Vo-Tech. The addition will include 10 new classrooms and two new computer labs for biology, chemistry, and physics.

The application process for UCVTS begins when prospective 8^th-grade students attend a required information session at the campus in Scotch Plains. The first session will be on Saturday, September 20. Students who are interested in applying to enter as freshmen in fall 2015 can visit ucvts.tec.nj.us for the schedule of available sessions and all details about applying.

##

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

ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of paper sculptures by Elizabeth artist Barbara Wallace 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 “Barbara Wallace: Round Relief” is on display at the Pearl Street Gallery through October 24. The public is invited to enjoy the exhibit during gallery hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

“The talent and diversity of our county artists assure an inspiring and interesting variety of exhibitions at the Pearl Street Gallery,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Advisory Board. “We are pleased to display an exhibit of Ms. Wallace’s impressive figurative sculptures.”

Barbara Wallace began her artistic training at the Art Students’ League of New York. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from Pratt Institute and her Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the University of Pennsylvania. Wallace is an Adjunct Professor at Kean University and Passaic County Community College. In 2013, Emerge 11 at the Aljira Gallery in Newark honored her as a participant. For 2014, her group exhibitions include CommUnity, Arts Guild New Jersey; Lifting as We Climb – A Celebration of Women Artists, Newark School of the Arts; and Sun Salutation, Passaic County Community College. She will be in a group exhibition at Aljira Gallery in September. Please visit her website: http://blw105.wix.com/barbarawallace.

“My training is in traditional sculptural materials of clay, metal, stone, and wood. I have adapted techniques ordinarily reserved for clay and sheet metal for recycled paper and tin can lids,” Ms. Wallace said. “The process for creating the works usually begins with a recycled metal clothes hanger. Layers of newspaper, magazine pages and cardboard are applied to this minimal armature with an adhesive of boiled wheat paste glue. Other sculptures combine the paper core technique with a layer of wax. Creating long-lasting sculpture from unlikely and somewhat ephemeral materials of yesterday’s news and this afternoon’s lunch is the crux of my artwork.”

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.

 

 

– END –

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – Tickets go on sale beginning September 2 for autumn hay rides and fun around the campfire at Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside. Sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation, these fun-filled autumn activities include hay rides, folk songs around the campfire, hot chocolate and marshmallows toasted over the fire.

Hayrides are scheduled for Fridays, beginning September 26 and including October 3, 10, and 17, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and on Sunday, October 5 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Hay ride tickets are available at three locations: every day from noon to 5 p.m. at Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence Road, in Mountainside; weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Union County Administration Building, Department of Parks and Recreation, 2^nd Floor, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza at Rahway Avenue in Elizabeth; or at the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield, from 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday; 12:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.

No tickets will be sold at the hay rides. Tickets for these popular outings must be purchased in advance – so don’t wait until it’s too late! Seating for the hay rides is limited, and group sales are limited to 15 tickets. The cost is $6 for Union County residents and $12 for out-of-county participants.

For further information, call Trailside Nature and Science Center at 908-789-3670; or the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900; or visit the Union County website at www.ucnj.org.

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is looking for artisans and crafts people to demonstrate Early American work and craft skills and to sell their hand-crafted wares at Union County’s 33^rd Annual Harvest Festival.  The event is a celebration of Early American life featuring music, children’s crafts, games, demonstrations and displays, a petting zoo and much more. The Harvest Festival will take place, rain or shine, at Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside on Sunday, September 28, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

“Walking through the festival grounds in the picturesque Watchung Reservation will give everyone a chance to see early American culture and history come to life,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak.  “It is a fascinating, fun-filled event for visitors of all ages.”

The Union County Harvest Festival is a popular event that attracts nearly 4,000 visitors each year. By participating, demonstrators and venders of hand-crafted goods will receive excellent exposure and have the opportunity to educate others about their craft or work skill and the Early American period in general. Examples of the handicrafts and work skills being sought are: blacksmithing, candle making, paper making, broom making, shoe making, hat making, jewelry making, quilting and other colonial or native American crafts or skills.

For details about how to participate, please call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at (908) 527- 4096.

For more information on Trailside Nature and Science Center please visit www.ucnj.org/trailside.