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Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh joined Linden Mayor Derek Armstead in picking their top five favorite ‘Art Outside the Box’ artist submissions that will be featured on traffic control boxes at three Linden intersections. In the coming days, we will open up online voting for you to pick your top three favorites. Learn more about the Chairman’s Initiative at https://ucnj.org/artoutsidethebox/.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh and Freeholders Sergio Granados, Bette Jane Kowalski and Angel G. Estrada present a resolution to Children’s Lightning Wheels Coaches Julia Goerlich, Paul Kolterjahn and Trisha Yurochko and athlete Caitlin Goerlich congratulating the Children’s Specialized Hospital team on their efforts at the Nation Junior Disabilities Championships that were held in Union County Parks in July.

The National Junior Disability Championships offers competitions in Olympic-style events including archery, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis, and track and field.

Union County’s Sensory Friendly Theatre series brings the puppet adventures of ‘Monster Intelligence’ – a musical journey for the entire family – to life on stage at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway on Sunday, September 13 at 2:00 p.m.

All tickets are $8 per person and can be purchased through the Union County Performing Arts Center at ucpac.org or by calling the Box Office at 732-499-8226.

“The sensory-friendly performance series is designed to offer a relaxed and safe theatre environment for children and adults with sensory sensitivity, developmental and learning disabilities,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “The Freeholder Board is proud to offer a performance series that helps make art accessible to everyone.”

Bring the entire family to follow Melvin in this musical journey. Melvin the monster is growing up fast – but he’s still not old enough to get his scream license. On his birthday, he makes a special wish to get his license early – and the Division for Monster Screams grants his request, but on one condition. First he must pass a difficult test to prove he is ready.

Up in Arms puppet theatre brings Melvin’s adventures to the stage with a cast of friendly, colorful monster characters and original songs (Green Day-style rock, classical, jazz, pop, and Broadway standards) – this is a journey never to forget.

Implementing the supportive atmosphere at the performance is the organization Autism Friendly Spaces, which provides specialists to train staff and volunteers on working with children with autism and other special needs during Sensory Friendly Theatre performances, while providing comfort and help to families.

For each of the special performances in the Sensory Friendly Theatre series, the theatre environment at the Union County PAC will be adjusted to provide a sensory-friendly, comfortable and judgment-free space that is welcoming for all families. For more information on what to expect at a Sensory Friendly Theatre performance visit ucpac.org.

Save the dates – mark your calendar for upcoming Sensory-Friendly Theatre series performances sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders: Sundays – November 22, 2015, January 10, 2016, March 20, 2016, May 1, 2016 and July 31, 2016. Specific show titles will be announced soon.

For more information or to purchase tickets call the Union County Performing Arts Center, 732-499-8226 or visit ucpac.org. The UCPAC Box Office, located at 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM and is also open late on Thursdays until 8:00 PM.

For information on additional Union County recreational programs for people with disabilities age five and up, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4806 or visit ucnj.org.

Over $73,000 in total grant funding awarded for projects

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce the 2015 Union County Library Grant awards to 20 public libraries in Union County for children’s programming and materials. The new grant opportunity seeks to expand, create, and enhance programming offered to children by libraries within Union County.

“As a youth my library card was as good as any driver’s license. It gave me access to the world and I enjoyed spending hours there reading. In today’s world, advancement in technology has changed the way young people learn and utilize the library,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Through this grant program, the Freeholder Board hopes to support our public libraries in their efforts to offer programs and services that inspire learning in the ever-changing digital age.”

Public libraries engage children in many different learning opportunities that are crucial to social and educational growth.

“Libraries help to strengthen our neighborhoods by supporting the cultural lives of our diverse communities,” noted Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, who championed this new grant program. “Adding important value to our communities as cultural centers, libraries are a place for children to explore, interact, and imagine.”

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Administered through a Trust Fund established with non-tax dollars, the grant opportunity made available over $73,000 to support 20 Union County public libraries.

Examples of projects eligible for funding through this grant opportunity include: technology upgrades; educational programming; purchase of books, videos, and audio tapes; creation or expansion of summer and fall programming; and planning documents.

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The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation are pleased to announce dates available for licensed New Jersey bow hunters to sight-in crossbows at the Oak Ridge Archery Range, located in Oak Ridge Park, Clark, New Jersey. Crossbow sighting systems are important because they give the hunter a point of aim on any target, thus increasing the accuracy of the crossbow.

On Monday, August 24, and again on the following Monday, August 31, the Oak Ridge Archery Range will be open to crossbow sight-in participants from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm.  The Union County Archery Range staff will supervise the participating archers, who must all abide by safety restrictions and limitations.

“With the start of bow season in New Jersey approaching, these sessions will help make it a successful and more importantly safer hunting season for all involved,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh.  “Working with our trained Archery Range staff, hunters will have a safe environment in which to insure their equipment is at its best for the hunting season.”

In order to participate archers must adhere to the following safety restrictions:

• Must produce a valid New Jersey bow hunting license.
• Must provide a suitable crossbow target.
• Only field points permitted; no broad heads allowed.
• Sighting-in of crossbows will be permitted only in designated archery lanes, and under the supervision of archery range staff.
• All archery range safety procedures and guidelines must be followed.
• No more than three (3) crossbow archers sighting-in a one time.
• The Oak Ridge Archery Range will only be open to crossbow sight in use on the above dates and times. Crossbow use is specifically forbidden at the Oak Ridge Archery Range any other time. NO EXCEPTIONS!

For more information about the Oak Ridge Archery Range you can visit the Union County Parks and Recreation website at ucnj.org/parks.

Freeholder Sergio Granados joined President of UCC, Dr. Margaret McMenamin, Board Chair, Victor M. Richel and Instructor Conrad Mercurius in presenting certificates to 11 Metal Fabrication/CNC Machinist Training Program graduates. Also there showing support and giving words of encouragement were Mayor of the City of Elizabeth, J. Christian Bollwage, NJ Community College Consortium Executive Director, Sivaraman Anbarasan and many UCC staff members.  

The final Union County Summer Arts Festival concert for 2015 will take place   Wednesday evening, August 26, with the Sensational Soul Cruisers taking the stage at 7:30 p.m. The free concert series, presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, and sponsored by ConnectOne Bank will take place at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside.

The Sensational Soul Cruisers, featuring four vocalists, backed up by an 11-man horn group, pays tribute to classic performers from Otis Redding and the Drifters to Barry White and the Commodores. The group captures the essence of the Jersey Shore sound and its R&B roots.

Pack a picnic basket, bring lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy the music under the stars. Refreshments and snacks will also be available from vendors.

Once again, UC Get Fit Yoga in the Park, a Union County Freeholder initiative will be part of the Wednesday night pre-concert schedule, with House Yoga of Kenilworth presenting a free community class from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.  Bring a mat or beach towel and participate in healthy activities for the entire family before the music begins.

“This will be the final opportunity for music fans to come out and enjoy some great entertainment under the stars at Echo Lake Park,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Join us in saying good bye to summer with the great sounds of the Sensational Soul Cruisers”.

For rain information you can call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at (908) 558-4079 after 3:30 p.m. on the day of the concert or you can visit the Union County web site: www.ucnj.org.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh, Vice Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski visited the cast of Hairspray before their first performance at the Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) in Rahway. The Broadway musical is presented by the Vanguard Theatre Company and is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders through the 2015 Union County Advancing Community Theatre (UCACT) program.

The UCACT program – offered as part of the Chairman Jalloh’s Building a Community of the Arts initiatives – aims to support the creative life of Union County by sponsoring enriching community theatre experiences that promote economic and social well-being.

The next performances of Hairspray will be Friday and Saturday, August 21 and 22 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, August 23 at 3 p.m. at the UCPAC.

For tickets or more information, visit www.ucpac.org or call 732-499-8226.