Author: Web Site Administrator

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that the next mobile paper-shredding program for personal, confidential documents will visit Scotch Plains on Sunday, June 26.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft by providing a convenient way to shred their confidential documents,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen. “It promotes our County recycling efforts and ties in with Union County’s other green initiatives.”

The June 26th shredding event will take place at the Union County Vo-Tech Schools campus in Scotch Plains, 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. NEXCUT Shredding of Elizabeth will be shredding personal documents from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. The 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. This is a garbage-free event so please bring your documents in paper bags if at all possible. Plastic bags and boxes will be returned. 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 then dumped onto a conveyor belt and shredded on site. Participants are welcome to view the shredding process via a closed-circuit television. The shredded documents are then recycled, shipped to paper mills and used as pulp. The next shredding event will take place on Thursday, July 21, at Rahway River Park in Rahway.

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

Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen celebrates Margaret Haegi’s 100th birthday along with Clark Lagemann, Senior VP of Operations for the Westfield Area YMCA and Ann Marie Patterson YMCA Aquatics instructor who leads a class Margaret still attends 3 times a week. 

We join with the nation in mourning, in outrage, and in a renewed commitment to honor the rich diversity that makes our country great. Our shared history has made America a shining light of progress, sometimes slow, sometimes halting, but always on the path of embracing equality, dignity and respect for all. Nothing will ever change that. Our strength lies in our power to choose, and we choose to celebrate all of humanity.

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to announce the return Shakespeare in the Park featuring six free performances of Shakespeare’s irresistible romantic comedy Twelfth Night at parks throughout Union County this summer during July and August.

“Shakespeare is an icon of English literature whose magnificent manipulation of the English language transcends time,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “This summer’s tour of Twelfth Night in our parks provides an opportunity for residents of all ages to experience the most remarkable storyteller the world has ever known.”

Featuring the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s Next Stage Ensemble, Twelfth Night is a story of mistaken identity, concealed truth, and comic revelation.

The summer tour of this charming comedy kicks off at Meisel Avenue Park in Springfield on Sunday, July 17 at 2 p.m.

Additional performances include:

Sunday, July 24 at Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield at 2 p.m.

Wednesday, July 27 at Raymond Wood Bauer Promenade (Amphitheater) in Linden at 7 p.m.

Sunday, July 31 at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside at 1 p.m.

Friday, August 5 at Rahway River Park in Rahway at 7 p.m.

Monday, August 8 at Oak Ridge Park in Clark at 7 p.m.
Admission is free to each of the six performances.

 

 

Pack a picnic and bring a blanket or lawn chairs and head out to Union County parks to enjoy Next Stage Ensemble’s abridged 75-minute performance of this time-honored story of mistaken identities, bewildering desires, practical jokes, and bawdy merriment – all in the name of love.  

Rich in song and music, Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare’s most popular romantic adventures. In the words of the Bard himself, “If music be the food of love, play on.”

After a tragic shipwreck, Viola finds herself washed ashore on the beach of Illyria, having lost her twin brother Sebastian in the storm.  Masquerading as a young boy, Viola enters the service of Duke Orsino, who is in love with the lady Olivia.  The Duke charges the disguised Viola to help him win Olivia’s hand.  Olivia, in pure Shakespearean style, falls in love with the disguised Viola who, in turn, has fallen in love with the Duke!  Combine this wonderful and charming romantic comedy with the hysterical figures of Malvolio, Sir Andrew Aquecheek and Sir Toby Belch, and you have one of Shakespeare’s most riotous comedies of mistaken identity!

The Next Stage Ensemble, the Shakespeare Theatre’s summer touring company of early career actors, is part of the Theatre’s Summer Professional Training Program which offers students working toward a career in the performing arts clear instruction, individual attention, and thoughtful and candid evaluation in a professional theatre environment. The Next Stage Ensemble works with The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s resident and guest directors to fully develop abridged productions of classic plays. The troupe tours to various locations throughout the state – including libraries, retirement homes and community centers.

Now in its 54^th season, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is an independent, professional theatre company located on the Drew University campus. One of the leading Shakespeare theatres in the nation, serving 100,000 adults and children annually, it is New Jersey’s largest professional theatre company dedicated solely to Shakespeare’s canon and other world classics. Through its distinguished productions and education programs, the company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of the classics for contemporary audiences.

For more information or for a complete listing of summer events visit ucnj.org/calendar.

Union County Freeholders Linda Carter and Alexander Mirabella present resolutions and checks to students and educators from New Providence High School and John E. Dwyer Technology Academy in Elizabeth in honor of the two schools winning the 2016 Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program (UC STEP) challenge. They were joined by Union County Economic Development Director Amy Wagner.

The Garments & Gear Campaign–collecting items and funds to provide sports equipment to local students in need–was the county-wide UC STEP community service challenge undertaken by participating Union County high schools in the 2015-2016 school year. The winning schools received grant in the amount of $1,000.00 each.

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.

Union County Freeholder Angel G. Estrada presents resolutions to Angelica Blanco of Hillside and Andrew Esteves of Elizabeth congratulating them on recent academic success. Blanco received her Bachelor’s degree with a 3.78 GPA from the New Jersey Institute of Technology while Esteves was accepted to Princeton University’s five-year PhD program in Molecular Biology. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The exhibit will be on display until July 12 at Liberty Hall Center which is located at 1085 Morris Avenue in Union. Viewing times are from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski was on hand to congratulate them.

Ron Brown of Cranford on winning first place in the non-professional sculpture category

William Daniels of Springfield on winning first place in the professional drawing category

Lisa DiMichele of Berkeley Heights on winning first place in the non-professional acrylic category

Frank B. Marshall III of Roselle on winning first place in the professional mixed media category.

Janice Metzger of Westfield on winning first place in the professional printmaking category

Michael Metzger of Westfield on winning first place in the professional oil category

Linda Rosen of Cranford on winning first place in the professional acrylic category

Barbara Uhr of Westfield on winning first place in the professional pastel category

Thomas Wacaster of Clark on winning first place in the non-professional oil category and non-professional Best in Show

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that a selection of prize-winning art work by Union County employees and their family members is on display through July 13 in the Freeholders Gallery, located on the 6^th floor of the Union County Administration Building, Elizabethtown Plaza at Rahway Avenue, in Elizabeth. The gallery is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays.

The art display presents a select sampling of 17 pieces from among the 149 creations judged at the recent 15^th annual “National Arts Program Exhibit and Contest for Union County Employees and Their Families.” The exhibit and contest is a result of a partnership with the National Arts Program Foundation which provides prize money and valuable support to display the work of talented artists.

“The artistic talent of our Union County employees, retired County employees, County program volunteers and their family members is very impressive,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “We have artists who excel in painting, photography and other visual arts, and we are proud to put their work on display. We thank the National Arts Program Foundation and Elizabethtown Gas Company for hosting the May 4^th awards reception and providing space for Union County employees and their families to display their talent in the original exhibit.”

Listed alphabetically by town are all the award-winning employee artists (or their family members) and the awards they won at the original exhibit and contest. Not all of the award-winning pieces are able to be displayed at the Freeholders Gallery exhibit.

Clark:

Isabella Anastasatos (Honorable Mention, Teen 13-18)

Ryan Frees (First Place, Amateur)

George Valladares (Honorable Mention, Amateur)

Clifton

Patzy Gutierrez (First Place, Teen 13-18)

Cranford

Christina Barlik (Third Place, Teen 13-18)

Berkeley Heights

Leslie Kepner (Professional, Honorable Mention)

Edison

Richa Wadhawan (Second Place and Art Education Award, Teen 13-18)

Elizabeth

Brianna & Elianna Borga (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under)

Natalie Gregorio (Second Place, Intermediate, returned award money back to program)

Shane Rhodes (Second Place, Youth 12 and Under)

Dario Scholis (Third Place, Professional)

Freeland

Ali McKittrick (First Place, Intermediate)

Seyona McKittrick (Third Place, Youth 12 and Under)

Hillsborough

James Caratozzolo (Second Place, Amateur)

Martinsville

Kayla Stasil (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under)

Old Bridge

Allana McQueen (Honorable Mention, Teen 13-18)

Angelina Saggese (Honorable Mention, Teen 13-18)

Plainfield

Raymond Morgan (Honorable Mention, Intermediate)

Rahway

Arianna Lespinasse (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under)

Danni Newbury (Honorable Mention, Intermediate)

Roselle

Judith White (Honorable Mention, Professional)

Roselle Park

Mario Rodriguez (Third Place, Intermediate)

Scotch Plains

Diego A. Otero (First Place, Youth 12 and Under)

Somerset

Tina Nummela (Third Place, Amateur)

Summit

Agnieszka Solawa (Second Place, Professional)

Westfield

Richard Earl (First Place, Professional)

Michael Endy (Best of Show, Professional).

Additional support for this event was provided by a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Exhibits at the Freeholders Gallery are coordinated by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.

For more information about this exhibit and other programs and services related to the arts and Union County history, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth NJ 07202. Telephone: (908) 558-2550. NJ Relay users dial 711. Or send E-mail to: culturalinfo@ucnj.org