Author: Web Site Administrator

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders today cut the ribbon on a new playground/sprayground in Warinanco Park in Elizabeth. The new facilities are located across from the Boat House and include the playground, sprayground (which has more than 100 spray jets) and is the seventh sprayground to open in the County parks system; new basketball and volleyball courts and renovated restroom/concession buildings.  

1. to r. Anibal Sedano, of Elizabeth, with his grandson, Adam Sedano; Freeholder Sergio Granados; Freeholder Vice Chairman Bruce Bergen cutting ribbon; Freeholder Chris Hudak; Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski; Elizabeth Third Ward Councilman Kevin Kiniery; Parks Director Ron Zuber; Ellie Wilson-Newbury; and County Manager Al Faella.

Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi will open her offices in Elizabeth and Westfield on Saturday, May 30, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for voters seeking last-minute mail-in ballots. The office in Elizabeth at the Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, and the office in Westfield at the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, will be open as a public service for voters who choose the Vote-By-Mail option for the Primary Election to be held on Tuesday, June 2.

“Every voter should have the opportunity to cast his or her ballot in the primary election for state, county and municipal offices,” Ms. Rajoppi said. “We want to ensure that even those who have a last-minute change of plans can have a chance to vote.”

“By opening the Elizabeth office on the Saturday before the primary election, as we have done for the past 19 years, along with the Westfield office, which has regular Saturday hours throughout the year, we hope to assist those citizens whose work schedules or other commitments keep them from applying to Vote-By-Mail during the work week,” Rajoppi said.

“This option makes voting more accessible, particularly for senior citizens.”

Completed ballots will be kept in a secure lockbox under the control of the Union County Board of Elections, who will collect them for counting. The Clerk’s office has processed more than 1,000 mail-in ballots to date for the Primary Election.

To obtain a Vote-By-Mail application, voters may download the form at the County Clerk’s website: https://ucnj.org/vote-by-mail, but they must bring the completed application to either of the County Clerk’s offices on Saturday, May 30, between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., or on Monday, June 1, before 3:00 p.m. For more information, please contact the County Clerk’s office at 908-527-4996.

This alert over-rides all previous posts about the fire danger level(s)

UNION COUNTY, NJ – The Union County Nonprofit Consortium will hold its Second Annual Networking conference addressing a wide range of topics  on Thursday, May 28th, beginning 8:30 a.m. at L’Affaire Fine Catering in Mountainside. 

“The conference is designed to enable nonprofit organizations throughout Union County to collaborate with one another, strengthen their organizations, and ensure the provision of a strong social services safety net for the people of Union County,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh, who is speaking at the conference.  “The Freeholder Board is committed to working with the county’s nonprofits in providing essential services, and we appreciate the efforts of Sid Blanchard (Executive Director of Community Access Unlimited) for taking the lead to organize this important event.”

Through panel and roundtable discussions, the conference will address a wide range of topics, including: creating financial sustainability; governance and the role of agency Board members; strategic development; advocacy; funding and financing. A presentation will also be made by Linda Czipo, Executive Director of the Center for Nonprofits, that will examine the future of nonprofits.

“The mission of the Union County Nonprofit Consortium is to “promote the common good of vital services to Union County citizens by maintaining a strong system of social service agencies in Union County,” said Blanchard.  “The conference is an effort to engage agencies and create an ongoing dialogue.”

Any nonprofit agency in Union County is welcome to attend.  Registration deadline is May 21.  Registration fee is $35 and includes breakfast and lunch.  To register online, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/union-county-nonprofit-consortium-networking-conference-tickets-16221619300.  For further information call Community Access Unlimited at 908-354-3040.

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Moving New Jersey Forward and Vet 4U Present 1s^t Annual Walking In My Boots Walkathon at Warinanco Park to Benefit Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Walkathon is set to begin May 30^th,  10 a.m.; Eric Peters, noted Clark veteran who walked across country to raise awareness, to speak on issue

UNION COUNTY, NJ—A pair of non-profit organizations, Moving New Jersey Forward and VET4U, are teaming up to present the First Annual Walking in My Boots Walkathon to benefit Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The event takes place on Saturday, May 30^th at Warinanco Park in Roselle. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m. The County of Union and the Historic Midtown Elizabeth SID are also co-sponsors.

 “There are not enough people who know or understand what PTSD is, and it’s something we need to change,” said Sergio Granados, Union County Freeholder and a founder of Moving New Jersey Forward, a community-based non-profit that works to raise awareness and education efforts at the local and national levels on issues pertaining to social justice.  “Raising awareness helps to overcome the stigma of PTSD and effectuate treatment and positive outcomes. We need to work to provide more services for our Veterans that have sacrificed so much to improve our quality of life.”

Eric Peters, a 24-year-old Veteran from Clark, will speak at the event. Last year, Peters walked to raise awareness for PTSD. Born out of his frustration to get the proper medical care from the VA and suffering from PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) himself, he decided to make a pilgrimage from his home in Clark, NJ to California to raise awareness. Eric was in the 101st Airborne Division and has received a Purple Heart for his sacrifices. Knowing that he is not alone in his situation, he hopes to open many eyes to the reality of life for many veterans post war with unfortunate outcomes.

“Many of those veterans who are suffering with PTSD  just don’t fit in with civilian life. Many are angry, afraid, irritable and just lost,” Peters said. “These veterans lose their appetites, their friends and any hope of recovering. Every night, they wake up in a cold sweat after having another nightmare.”

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it, such as war, a physical assault, or a disaster. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Getting effective treatment after PTSD symptoms develop can be critical to reduce symptoms and improve function.

“There are several million Veterans who suffer from PTSD and many of them cannot—for a number of reasons–access the resources they need to treat it,” said Janna Williams, a United States AirForce Veteran and founder of VET4U, a non-profit in formation, which advocates for and assists military veterans. “We need to work together to find the best ways to treat PTSD and assist the service members, Veterans and family members who are suffering from its impact.”

The event is a 5K walk in the park, and those who wish to register online may do so at walkinginmyboots.eventbrite.com. Anyone wishing more info can call Janna at 908-590-3869 or email vet4u2@gmail.com.  Entry fees are $15 before May 20^th, and $20 after May 20^th.

“Many cases of PTSD remain unreported and undiagnosed due to a lack of awareness and the stigma of mental health issues,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “We are proud to co-sponsor an event aimed at helping our Veterans suffering from these invisible wounds of war receive proper treatment.”

“The brave men and women of the Armed Forces proudly served our country, risked their lives to protect our freedom, and deserve our efforts to ensure their physical, mental, and emotional well-being,” said Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, Freeholder Liaison to Veterans’ Affairs.

The walk leads up to the month of June, which has been designated PTSD Awareness Month.  Those seeking more information on PTSD, can go to http://www.ptsd.va.gov/index.asp or if living in Union County, can call the Union County Office of Veterans’ Affairs at 908-659-7407 for referral information or reach the office toll free, at 1-866-640-7115.

Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi reminds residents that Tuesday, May 12, is the last day for registering to vote in New Jersey’s upcoming Primary Election.

“With the Primary Election approaching on June 2, the deadline is just days away for first-time voters and new residents in Union County to register to vote in either the Democratic or Republican primaries,” Ms. Rajoppi said. “To be eligible to vote in the June 2 Primary Election, new voters must be registered by Tuesday, May 12.”

To register to vote or to register an address change, forms are available in every municipality at the office of the municipal clerk. Forms also may be obtained by visiting the County Clerk’s office at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth or at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield, or by visiting the Union County website: www.ucnj.org/county-clerk.

Information about the upcoming Primary Election also can be obtained by using the free new app, “Union County Votes,” which is designed to help Union County residents connect quickly and easily with accurate information about voting and elections. The app is available for Apple and Android devices and it has active hyperlinks, phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

“The Union County Votes app enables voters to find their polling place, request voter registration forms and vote-by-mail ballot applications, and view sample ballots,” Ms. Rajoppi added. “The app also provides information for people interested in becoming poll workers or running for office, including election filing dates and district maps.”

The office hours of the Westfield Annex of the County Clerk are 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Regular office hours in Elizabeth are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Voter registration forms and change of address forms must be received by the Union County Board of Elections, 271 North Broad Street, Elizabeth NJ 07208 no later than Tuesday, May 12, in order to be eligible to vote in the Primary Election on June 2. To qualify to vote, you must be a citizen of the United States and at least 18 years old, not serving a sentence, probation, or parole because of a felony conviction, and a resident of New Jersey and Union County for at least 30 days. For more information about voter registration, please call the Union County Board of Elections at 908-527-4123.

This page will be updated as the status changes.

Lifeguards are needed at the two Union County outdoor swimming pools for the summer from mid-June through Labor Day.  Current lifeguard certification required and weekends are mandatory.

If you are interested, please call 908-298-7849 Monday through Friday, 9am to 4pm.

Welcome to a whole new way of  learning about nature—or at least  the trees all around you.

And maybe, just maybe, since it involves smart phones, it will appeal to the younger generation.

In many parks and botanical gardens it is not unusual to see signs identifying trees, giving their name in English and Latin.

Union County Parks is now offering that and much more. In cooperation with The Smithsonian, Columbia University and the University of Maryland, Parks has designed a new signage system that connects to a virtual field guide so that it is possible to learn just about anything one would want to know about a tree, from how it propagates to the region it inhabits, with a click of the phone.

“The photography used in this virtual field guide is absolutely gorgeous,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, as she watched a group of volunteer Master Tree Stewards install new tree signage in Echo Lake Park.

The first of these new generation signs was installed two years ago in Lenape Park. In addition to Echo Lake, the tree stewards recently finished Nomahegan Park and plan to install a third trail this year at Briant Park.

“It really is amazing how this blends technology and nature in such a harmonious way,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Bruce Bergen.

“There was a time when you had to bring a field guide with you if you wanted to learn more about this kind of thing. Now you can just go for a walk, and when you see one of these signs, you can scan the QR code and immediately be viewing the information and illustrations about the tree,” Bergen said.

While the signs are beyond reach to thwart vandalism, because the QR boxes are so large, any phone with a free QR phone reader app can easily scan the code.

“It’s no secret that the volunteer tree stewards have a particular fondness for trees,” said Dean Talcott, who coordinates the effort to identify the trees and install the signage.

“We would just like to be able to share this knowledge with the public and enable them to learn more about what is all around them,” he said.

Several years ago, The Smithsonian and the two universities joined forces to create an online tree guide called Leafsnap. While the app was written for iphones, the project had insufficient funds to create the app necessary to work with android and other phones.

“The one thing we didn’t want is a system that only worked with one brand of phones and tablets,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed Jalloh. “Parks solved that problem by a incorporating QR codes into the signs. Now they work with all phones, regardless of the operating system.”

 Many of the signs in Nomahegan Park in Cranford are on a trail that is part of  the East Coast Greenway http://www.greenway.org/, a 2,950-mile lowland Appalachian Trail from Maine to Florida that weaves through nearly every major city along the East Coast.

 The signs in Echo Lake Park in Mountainside are located on a trail that connects Echo Lake to the Route 22 pedestrian overpass and the New Providence Road greenway that leads to the southern edge of the Watchung Reservation.

The tree sign identification is an offshoot of the Master Tree Stewards’ ongoing educational program. Volunteers visit youngsters in fourth grade classrooms to teach them about trees and to appreciate the importance of trees to the environment.

Anyone interested in joining the tree steward program should contact the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, (https://njaes.rutgers.edu/county/quickinfo.asp?Union).

14^th Annual Union County Employee Art Show during the opening reception at the Elizabethtown Gas Company’s Liberty Hall Center in Union. 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 relatives. The exhibit will be open to the public weekdays until May 26, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Elizabethtown Gas Company, located at Liberty Hall Center, 1085 Morris Avenue in Union Township

 

(From left) Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh and Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski and Bruce H. Bergen congratulate Ryan Frees (2^nd R) of Clark on winning first place in the amateur category

 

(From left) Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh and Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski and Bruce H. Bergen congratulate Susan Anderson (2^nd R) of Clark on winning first place in the professional category