Author: Web Site Administrator

Union County Freeholders Linda Carter and Mohamed S. Jalloh present a resolution to Lee Starks of Plainfield, owner of the Plainfield Boxing Academy, congratulating and commending him for all his time and tremendous effort put forth to benefit the youth of Plainfield. Starks’ aim is to keep local youth off the streets by offering underprivileged children boxing lessons and fitness classes after school and during school vacations at his gym. The program is also intended to reduce crime and urban violence.

In an effort to raise funds to support the program for the children, Lee ran the 100-mile Devil Dog Ultra Marathon on December 17-18, 2016.  He finished in 30 hours, 43 minutes and 43 seconds, making it to the finish line ahead of the 32 hour cut-off despite the sleet and rainy conditions.  There were 250 runners and only 47 completed the race and Lee placed 35th overall.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholders Linda Carter and Alexander Mirabella presented resolutions to members of Team Orange from the Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program (UC STEP) congratulating them on winning the Civic Engagement Challenge of 2016 UC STEP. They were joined by Union County Economic Development Director Amy Wagner and Deana Mesaros of the Department of Economic Development.

UC STEP was created to provide high school students the opportunity to develop a countywide community service around a topic they feel is important, while teaching them leadership and personal growth skills and responsibility within their communities.

A total of 195 sophomores and junior high school students from 21 high schools throughout Union County participated in the annual program, which took place in December 2016 at Kean University in Union.

Team Orange’s campaign “Kans for Kids” is a collection project that focuses on the gathering nutritious canned items that they turned into “canstruction.”  The structure building competition is the finale of the project as each strived to have the best looking display. All proceeds benefit the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

Team Orange members attend the following high schools:  Arthur L. Johnson High School, Cranford High School, David Brearley High School, Governor Livingston High School, Linden High School, John E. Dwyer Technology Academy, Jonathan Dayton High School, Plainfield High School, New Providence High School, Rahway High School, Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, Union County TEAMS Charter School, Union County Vocational-Technical High School and the Barack Obama Academy for Academic & Civic Development.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/ County of Union)

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders presented the City of Elizabeth with a new, 15-passenger van that will provide free transport for seniors citizens. The vans are being awarded to a total of 18 municipalities this year through Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen’s “Seniors in  Motion” initiative to assist seniors with free, local transport.

1. to R. Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, Jessica Martinez of the Elizabeth’s Senior Citizen Activities Division,  Elizabeth Board of Education President Stan Neron, Union County Manager Alfred J. Faella, Elizabeth Health and Human Services Director Krishna Garlic, Elizabeth Councilman Manny Grova, Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright, Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, Elizabeth Fifth Ward Councilman Bill Gallman, and Alonzo Jones of the Elizabeth Office on Aging.

(photo by James Lowney, Division of Public Information, County of Union)

For more information, call 908-355-4444.

[vfb id=78]

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the County’s Workforce Innovation Business Center is recruiting qualified applicants to fill 100 full and part-time positions at two prospective employers in Elizabeth and Newark.

The first employer, Foodtown, is scheduled to open a 25,000-square foot grocery story in Elizabeth by the end of the winter season, and is seeking to hire 50 Union County residents through the Workforce Innovation Business Center.

“The Workforce Innovation Center has been a great success and continues to help residents find employment in the greater Union County community,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “If you are an employer, I encourage you to get in touch with us, and let us assist you in fulfilling your employment goals.”

Interested applicants for the Foodtown positions are being urged to attend an informational session on Wednesday, January 25th, 10 a.m. at the Workforce Innovation Business Center at the Mills at Jersey Gardens Mall, 651 Kapkowksi Road, Elizabeth.  Prospective candidates should first register online at www.ucnj.org/job-event to secure a spot. Anyone with further questions can call the Center at 908-355-4444 during regular business hours.

The jobs are in all departments of the store to be located at East Grand and Division Streets, and pay between a range of $8.44-$22 an hour.

Successful applicants will receive “soft skills” training” before they begin work through the Center, and may be matched to the jobs through the County’s “On the Job Training” program, which may qualify Foodtown for wage subsidies and a Work Opportunity Tax Credit through the state.

“As liaison to the Workforce Development Board, we made the development of public-private partnerships a priority so we can maximize employment for our residents,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados. “We’ve been able to create well over 1,000 new job opportunities last year alone for County residents with prospective employers. And I look forward to creating a even larger amount of employment opportunities for our residents in 2017.”

The second employer is from a company in Newark seeking to hire 50 new positions, acting as a liaison between customers and our client, a consumer package goods firm. The candidates would assist with complaints, orders, errors. The job is full-time, pays $13 an hour, plus commission. These jobs are open to residents inside and outside Union County.  Interested  candidates can email their resume to isaias.rivera@ucc.edu or call 908-355-4444.

The Workforce Innovation Business Center is a partnership between the Freeholder Board, the Workforce Development Board and Union County College.

#  #

PSE&G is preparing for the approaching storm system that could bring heavy rain and gale-force winds.

Given the weather services’ forecasts, PSE&G is preparing for a busy day today. We’ll have additional personnel scheduled and on standby, with extra tree personnel and equipment at the ready.

Gale-force winds can cause flying debris, and bring down trees and power lines. You should be cautious and stay alert to your surroundings before, during and after storms:

• Prepare for high winds, securing outdoor objects.
• Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything it might be in contact with. If a wire falls on or near your car, stay inside the car, call 911, and do not get out until PSE&G deenergizes the line. If you MUST get out of the vehicle because it is on fire, jump as far as possible away from the vehicle, with both feet landing on the ground at the same time, and hop or shuffle away.
• To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, do not run any gasoline powered engine, including generators and snowblowers, in a garage or any other enclosed space.

To report downed wires or power outages, call PSE&G’s Customer Service line at 1-800-436-PSEG. You can also report power outages and view the status of an outage by logging in to My Account at pseg.com, PSE&G’s mobile-friendly website.

Stay Connected with PSE&G’S MyAlerts and Outage Center

• Sign up for PSE&G’s MyAlerts service for 2-way texting and email notifications. PSE&G’s free MyAlerts service allows you to:
• Text OUT to report a power outage.
• Text STAT at any time for the latest on your outage.
• Receive an alert when there is a power outage in your area.
• Receive notification of your Estimated Time of Restoration (ETR) and changes in the ETR of more than an hour.
• Receive an alert when the power outage is restored.

There are two ways to register for MyAlerts:

• Log in to My Account at pseg.com from your smart phone, tablet, or computer and select “MyAlerts Text/Email Notifications” from the main menu. You can select which alerts you’d like to receive and how you would like to receive them.
• Use your mobile phone to text “REG” to 47734 (4PSEG), and then follow the prompts to register for text alerts.
• Stay in touch and informed with PSE&G’s “Outage Center” to:
• Report an outage and check your outage status.
• View our Outage Map, updated every 15 minutes, which displays the location and status of power outages in our service territory.
• Receive important safety information to help you before, during and after a storm.
• Sign up as a follower of PSE&G’s Twitter and Facebook pages to monitor restoration progress.

Are you homeless? Do you need assistance? Participate in the Homeless Point-in-Time Count – Come out, be counted!

Wednesday, January 25th, 1pm – 3pm at either of these two locations:

• Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless, 118 Division Street in Elizabeth
• Plainfield Salvation Army, 615 Watchung Ave in Plainfield

50 Full and part time job opportunities for Foodtown store opening in Elizabeth. Information session on 1-25-17. Pre-register is required. Register online at https://ucnj.org/job-event

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders presents the 5^th Annual Chester Holmes Humanitarian Award

Union County celebrates Black History Month with a free performance honoring famed Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, February 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway.

Sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs under the Department of Parks and Recreation, “A Beautiful Symphony of Brotherhood: A Musical Journey in the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.” highlights how music influenced and inspired the work of Dr. King.

“Each February, Americans recognize and celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of African-Americans to our nation’s history,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “The Freeholder Board is proud to support events that illustrate the truths of the history we all share.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. grew up listening to and singing church songs, and saw gospel and folk music as natural tools to further the civil rights movement.

Hosted by Terrance McKnight, “A Beautiful Symphony of Brotherhood: A Musical Journey in the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.” is a live adaptation of McKnight’s radio documentary, which was produced for WQXR, New York Public Radio.  In this one-hour presentation, Terrance McKnight interweaves musical examples with Dr. King’s own speeches and sermons to illustrate the powerful place that music held in his work—and examines how the musical community responded to and participated in Dr. King’s cause.

“The life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – a true community activist who brought hope and healing to America during a time in our history of rampant injustice and discrimination – have been a source of inspiration for many who seek peace, justice and equality,” said Freeholder Linda Carter. “All are invited to experience this unique production that offers insight into what inspired and influenced the words, actions, spirits and ideals of Dr. King.”

The evening’s event will also feature the 5^th annual presentation of the Chester Holmes Humanitarian Award. Presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Chester Holmes Humanitarian Award is given to a candidate that displays outstanding devotion to the people of Union County through their service-based or philanthropic work.

Admission to “A Beautiful Symphony of Brotherhood: A Musical Journey of Martin Luther King, Jr.” is free of charge, but advance registration is requested. Please call the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 908-558-2550 to reserve a seat, or visit www.ucnj.org/BlackHistoryMonth.

Also in February, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to sponsor two additional Black History Month events.

On Saturday, February 4 at 3:00 p.m., United Youth of New Jersey will present Black Wall Street: A True Reflection of the Sun People at Kean University’s Wilkins Theatre. An original play written and directed by UNYJ founders Mr. and Mrs. Brown, the play tells the story of the men and women of the Greenwood District – one of the most thriving African American communities in America from 1907 to 1921. For more information visit unitedyouthofnj.org or contact UYNJ at 908-220-5279.

Presented by the Union County Performing Arts Center and co-sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the City of Rahway, Call Mr. Robeson, a poignant tribute to an extraordinary man in black history, will be presented at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway on Saturday, February 11 at 5:30 p.m. Written, produced, and performed by Tayo Aluko, this free performance preserves and honors Paul Robeson’s memory while teaching audiences that speaking out against injustice is everyone’s responsibility. For more information visit ucpac.org or call the UCPAC Box Office at 732-499-8226.

For more information about Union County’s 2017 Black History Month events, as well as a map of important historic sites and people from Union County visit ucnj.org/BlackHistoryMonth.

Do you like working with artists, teachers and students? The Union County Teen Arts Festival provides an opportunity for volunteers to get involved.

The Union County Teen Arts Festival is a two-day celebration of the arts. It is held annually at Union County College in Cranford and is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders through the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Department of Parks and Recreation.

This year’s Teen Arts Festival is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, March 16 and March 17. The event is open to all students from public, charter, private and parochial middle and high schools in Union County.

“Nearly 3,500 students participate in performances, critiquing seminars, master classes and workshops with a staff of 55 professional artists in every discipline – visual art, music, creative writing, theater and dance,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen.

“Volunteers are needed to assist artists with workshops, manage performance sites and staff information stations,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, who serves as the Freeholder Liaison on the Cultural and Heritage Advisory Board. “Volunteers get to see some of the great work our kids are doing. It’s really a lot of fun!”

If you are interested in any of these activities, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey 07202. Telephone: 908-558-2550; NJ Relay Users call 711. Or e-mail us at: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.