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Historic American Revolutionary War battle re-enactment to occur on June 24th and 25th in Clark

The Battle of Short Hills planning committee and the Brigade of the American Revolution are happy to announce the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders  are co-sponsoring the Battle of Short Hills 240th Anniversary re-enactment at Oak Ridge Park in Clark on Saturday, June 24th and Sunday,  June 25th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free to the public.

“We are pleased to co-sponsor an event that highlights the historic importance of Union County in the founding of our Country,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen. “This re-enactment brings history alive and reminds us of the sacrifices our founders made in the name of liberty and love of Country.”

Paul Tofani, a participant and one of the organizers of the event thanked the Freeholder Board for their co-sponsorship.

“This is a great step forward for public education on our history,” said Tofani. “This event will bring to life what took place here and help our visitors to understand the complexity of the foundation of our nation. We appreciate the co-sponsorship and the opportunity to present this in a County park.”

Preceding the battle the night before (Friday, June 23rd), the New Jersey Symphony will also perform a free concert beginning 6:30 p.m. at Oak Ridge as part of annual Union County’s Summer Arts Festival series of concerts.

At the Battle of Short Hills in late June 1777, a numerically inferior force of 2,500 Local New Jersey and Pennsylvania troops serving in the Continental Line, along with patriot militia, achieved a strategic victory against over 10,000 British and Hessians troops seeking to trap the main body of Washington’s army. This strategic victory prevented almost certain destruction, allowing the Americans a tactical retreat to the Watchung Mountains. 

The battle took place on June 26, 1777, at Scotch Plains and Metuchen, New Jersey, stretching through Clark (where the re-enactment is being staged) and all the way to Westfield. Despite the name, no fighting occurred in modern-day Short Hills, a section of Millburn.

On a related note, the Frazee House in Scotch Plains is a Union County landmark made famous by its sheer survival for more than 230 years and by the tale of Elizabeth “Aunt Betty” Frazee’s legendary confrontation with a British general during the battle of Short Hills. The house, constructed by Gershom Frazee,  has received official recognition on the National Register of Historic Places and the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. The Frazee House is located at 1451 Raritan Road, near Terrill Road, Scotch Plains, NJ.

The County of Union also maintains a Battle of Short Hills historic trail link, which outlines the other historic sites in Union County, including Plainfield and Fanwood: https://ucnj.org/parks-recreation/paths-trails-greenways/battle-of-short-hills/

Visitors to Oak Ridge park should note that portions of the park, including the public parking lot, will be closed from June 23 to 26th for the re-enactment to be set up and take place. Also those attending  are advised to bring hats, sunscreen and water as the re-enactment will take place in an open field at the height of summer.

Those wishing more information on this event or who may be interested in participating should go to either the event’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BoSH2017/

The contest was open to students from 4th thought 8th grade from 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 Angel G. Estrada presents Evelyn Burnett Marchione with a resolution congratulating her on being named Linden’s 2017 Outstanding Senior Citizen of the Year by the Linden Department of Public Property and Community Services during the city’s 59th annual Senior Citizen Day ceremony at the John T. Gregorio Recreation Center in Linden.

The contest, co-sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and The National Arts Program Foundation, was open to Union County employees and their families. The exhibit will be open to the public weekdays until May 23, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Elizabethtown Gas Company, located at Liberty Hall Center, 1085 Morris Avenue in Union Township.

Necessary safety work will require road closure and detours

New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced a railroad crossing rehabilitation project that will require a week long closure and detour of Rahway Avenue in Westfield, Union County.

Beginning at 7 a.m. Monday, May 8, until 7 p.m. Friday, May 12, the two-way traffic on Rahway Avenue in Westfield, which becomes Westfield Avenue in Clark is scheduled to be closed at the railroad crossing between Terminal Avenue in Clark and Lamberts Mill Road in Westfield. The existing railroad crossing will be removed and replaced with a new concrete crossing and asphalt approach. The following detours will remain in place:

Westfield Avenue Detour

• Motorists from Westfield Avenue in Clark will be directed to use Terminal Avenue/L’Oreal Way
• Make a left onto Central Avenue
• Make a left onto West Grove Street in Westfield and follow to Rahway Avenue

Rahway Avenue Detour

• Motorists from Rahway Avenue in Westfield will be directed to use West Grove Street
• Make a right onto Central Avenue
• Make a right onto Terminal Avenue/L’Oreal Way in Clark and follow to Westfield Avenue

The traffic detour will be coordinated with the local police. If work is completed earlier, the roadway will be reopened accordingly.
In order to provide safer and smoother railroad crossing in Westfield, the existing crossings will be replaced with new asphalt crossings and new asphalt approaches. This federally-funded project is included within NJDOT’s railroad grade-crossing safety program which repairs, upgrades, or removes approximately 30 crossings each year, statewide.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce  that 18 Union County municipalities have been awarded “Senior Focus” grants. Designed to support the well-being, safety and quality of life for senior adults in Union County, “Senior Focus” funding may be used for repairs and rehabilitation of senior center facilities or equipment for the centers.

“The senior population of Union County is growing, and with ‘Senior Focus’ we demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that local communities have the resources to continue improving their facilities, programs and services for seniors,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen.

“This initiative is intended to support our senior adults and provide access to services that impact their quality of life,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Human Services Advisory Board.

The“Senior Focus” grant made available awards of up to $25,000 to each of Union County’s 21 municipalities for capital improvements or equipment purchases to enhance their local senior center facilities. Qualifying centers must be owned by the municipality and used exclusively or primarily as a senior center. 

Examples of improvements covered under the grant include ADA access improvements, repairs to or replacement the roof, plumbing and electrical upgrades, and site improvements.

In addition to capital projects, examples of acceptable equipment purchases could include computers/printers, stereos and headphones, and PA systems. The grant program was funded through a combination of County Capital and CDBG funds.

Offered as part of Chairman Bergen’s “Year of the Senior” 2016 initiatives, the new “Senior Focus” program (the last one was offered in 2002) complemented the recently completed “Seniors in Motion” program, which provided vans for senior transportation to the County’s municipalities.

Here is a list of towns that are receiving the grants, and what the money will be used for:

Municipality	Amount	Projected Project
Clark	$25,000	Senior Fitness Equipment
Cranford	$18,462	Bingo System, PA System and 8 Surface Pro Computers
Elizabeth	$24,293	27 Computers
Fanwood	$25,000	Roof, Windows, Window Coverings, PA System, iPad, Microwave
Garwood	$25,000	Roof Repair and PA System
Hillside	$25,000	Exterior Repairs Replace Handicap Ramp
Kenilworth	$23,400	4 doors Retrofit 2 doors Replaced
Linden	$24,000	Ramp Update, Automatic Doors
Mountainside	$25,000	Flooring, Seating, Computer, TV
New Providence	$15,500	100 Chairs, 8 Club Chairs, PA System, Copier
Plainfield	$25,000	Senior Fitness Equipment, Flooring, Sewing machines
Rahway	$25,000	Roof
Roselle	$25,000	Lavatory Upgrades, Parking Lot Lighting, Ice Maker, Ceiling Tiles
Roselle Park	$25,000	Roof
Scotch Plains	$25,000	Bocce Court, Outdoor Seating, PA System, Ceiling Tiles, Chairs, Fitness Equipment, Signage, Tables
Springfield	$25,000	Fitness Equipment, Audio Visual Equipment, Computers
Summit	$25,000	Senior Lounge
Union	$25,000	Senior Center Roof
Total	$430,655

 

UNION COUNTY—Union County residents seeking information about services for seniors age 60 and older can attend any of six Aging Services Kiosk (ASK) events in April to speak with experienced staff from the county’s Department of Human Services, Division on Aging. The ASK events will be held in Clark, Westfield, Fanwood, Mountainside, Linden, and Union.

“The ASK program brings our knowledgeable, experienced Division on Aging staff to convenient locations throughout Union County, to reach more residents with helpful resources,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, who is the Freeholder Board liaison to the Human Services Advisory Board.

The Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection is based in Elizabeth.

The ASK community outreach program provides for members of the staff to travel throughout Union County to help connect residents with information about services such as home delivered meals, respite care, home care, adult day care and support services for caregivers.

The ASK program also enables residents to obtain assistance with completing applications and forms at convenient locations.

The May 2017 dates and locations will be:

All Union County residents are welcome to attend any of these ASK events.

The mission of the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection is to promote wellness, independence, dignity and choice for seniors and their families. It is one of 670 “Area Agencies on Aging” nationwide established under the federal Older Americans Act.  The division has information printed in both English and Spanish.

“The ADRC model, a state initiative that Union County has embraced since 2012, is designed to improve service for seniors and the disabled,” said Chairman Bergen. “These services can enable seniors and the disabled to remain in their homes and communities.”

Check for the upcoming schedule of stops for an ASK kiosk coming near you as dates and locations are posted in local newspapers, the Senior News, Facebook, Twitter and the Union County website, www.ucnj.org.

For further information about the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection, call the division’s toll-free number: -1-888-280-8226 or 908-527- 4870 or 4858 or visit the Union County government website at www.ucnj.org.

Union County proudly invites families to lace up your sneakers for field day events at the County’s first Family PRIDE CommUNITY Picnic, celebrating marriage equality in the State of New Jersey, on Saturday, June 17 at Rahway River Park in Rahway from Noon until 4:00 p.m. with the family-friendly field day competition starting at 2:00 p.m.

“All families are invited to join LGBTQ family equality advocates and allies from throughout the state to come out to the park and celebrate family and marriage equality,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “The Freeholder Board is proud to include activities for family members of all ages to join in the day of fun and celebration.”

During Union County’s first Family PRIDE CommUNITY Picnic, right in the middle of all the music, arts and crafts, bounce house fun and bubble fun, field day favorites will be taking over the outfield at Rahway River Park by red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple family teams.

A great way to make new friends and share a ton of laughs with family, registration for the family-friendly field day competition is open now through Monday, June 5^th. Register today at ucnj.org/pride.

Teams will be announced on the day of the event. Participating families will be grouped by color (red team, orange team, yellow team, green team, blue team, purple team) – teams will be made up of several families. Each team will participate in each activity, such as the three-legged race and the egg relay. Ranked first through sixth, the team with the lowest score at the end of the day will bring home the rainbow. 

Please note that registration is not required to attend the Family PRIDE CommUNITY Picnic and participate in the day’s activities – registration is only requested to participate in the field day family-friendly competition so that teams may be formed.

This free family-friendly event invites LGBTQ family equality advocates and allies from all over the Garden State to come out to the park and celebrate the strength of our diversity, and to honor the great strides we’ve made in the movement for equality.

In 2013, New Jersey became the 16th state with marriage equality, granting same-sex couples the security of marriage in New Jersey. Since the federal marriage equality ruling in 2015, thousands of same-sex couples have married state-wide and across state lines. Sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the free Family PRIDE CommUNITY Picnic event aims to reach beyond the Union County borders and invites all families across the state to join us to celebrate family and marriage equality.

A celebration of all families, Union County’s first Family PRIDE CommUNITY Picnic will feature music, arts and crafts, family field day team games, inflatable bounce houses, playground fun, and many other family activities. A family equality rally will kick off at 1:00 p.m. with special guest speakers and performances. Esteemed children’s music band, Michael and the Rockness Monsters will close out the day’s celebration with a live family concert in the park. So pack a picnic and head out to the park!

Families are invited to visit the vendor and resource tables for giveaways and information. Equality and family advocacy organizations will also set up tables alongside the Freeholder Board Information van with general information, and support and networking resources.

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

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