Author: Web Site Administrator

Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh, Vice Chairman Bruce Bergen, Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski, Christopher Hudak, Alexander Mirabella, Linda Carter, Angel G. Estrada, Sergio Granados and Vernell Wright and Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi march in the 19th Annual Union County St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Morris Avenue in Union.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce an early spring guided nature hike, for adults 18 and older, at Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside on Saturday, March 28 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

This program offers an opportunity to walk deeper into the reservation and experience the beauty of the woods.   A Trailside naturalist will lead a guided hike along one of the bucolic trails in the Watchung Reservation.   Participants will learn to identify some of the trees, observe signs of animal activity and learn the ways in which plants and animals adapt to the season.  Please dress appropriately for the weather.  The fee is $10 for Union County residents and $12 for out of county residents. Pre-registration is recommended. 

“This is a unique opportunity to experience nature on an interpretive hike with a professional naturalist.   It’s a great way to spend the morning before you start your Saturday activities, says Freeholder Chairman, Mohamed S. Jalloh.

Trailside Nature and Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. For more information about this workshop or other activities at Trailside, please call 908-789-3670 or visit us on our website at www.ucnj.org/trailside.

Union County, NJ – Got cabin fever? Join Union County Parks, Friends of Lenape Park and birder Frank Budney tonight, March 16, for a Woodcock Watch at Lenape Park, from 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.

Woodcocks or timberdoodles are short, stocky shorebirds in the sandpiper family with long bills. They spend most of their time in shrubby forests.

The male woodcock, famous for its beautiful mating flight and courtship behavior, is often considered a harbinger of spring.

For this informal presentation, there will be a brief introduction and then participants will head to the nearby field to listen for woodcocks and observe the male’s flight.

The program starts promptly at 6:45 p.m. Dress warm and bring a flashlight.

To register, email bkelly@ucnj.org. The Woodcock Watch is free and open to adults and children ages 10 years and up with adult.

Participants will meet at the old Trap & Skeet field house, accessed via the main park entrance off Kenilworth Boulevard in Cranford (for map visit mapquest.com at  mapq.st/1M3VkhU).

For more information on programs in Union County Parks, call 908-527-4900.

(Photo credit: Courtesy of US Department of Agriculture).

Investigators are seeking assistance from the public in locating an autistic Elizabeth boy who was reported missing overnight.

David Isaac Bardales, 12, was last seen shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday, March 12 on the 400 block of Rosehill Place in Elizabeth.

Bardales, who also answers to the name Jamie Fernandez, is approximately 5-foot-4, 150 pounds, with brown eyes, a medium skin tone, and short black hair. He last was seen carrying a black backpack containing an  Xbox game console and wearing a green hooded sweatshirt, black pants, and gray sneakers.  

Possible destinations Bardales is believed to have had in mind include School No. 23 on Union Avenue in Elizabeth, Carteret Park, or the Murray Street or South Elmora Avenue corridors.

Investigators with the Elizabeth Police Department, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, and the New Jersey State Police are actively involved in the search for Bardales. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is being urged to contact the Elizabeth Police Department at 908-558-2000.

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation are pleased to announce the 2015 Wildlife Photography Contest at Trailside Nature & Science Center.  Amateur photographers, ages six through adult, are invited to enter their original photographs of wild animals in their natural habitat.

“Wild animals are challenging photographic subjects and the Wildlife Photography Contest is a great opportunity for people of all ages to put their skills to the test and attempt to capture animals in their natural habitat,” stated Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh.

Last year the winners of the Wildlife Photography Contested included Jim Duffy of Linden in the adult category for ages 18 and older for his photo of a snowy owl, Danielle Mandile of Berkeley Heights in the 12 – 17 year old category for her spiny orb weaver spider photo and Clemente Brogca in the 6 – 11 year old category for his photo of a Canada goose.

Only images of wildlife species native to the United States are eligible for submission.  Images of exotic wildlife, pets or domestic animals will not be considered.  Individuals may enter a maximum of two photographs.   Entries must be un-matted, un-framed 5” X 7” black and white or color prints.  Entries must be received or postmarked no later than Friday, April 10, 2015. 

Photographs entered into the Wildlife Photography Contest will be judged by local professional photographers for originality, composition, technical excellence and artistic merit.  Participants can enter one of three age groups; 6 – 11, 12 – 17 or 18 and older.  Four winners in each age group will have their photographs published in Trailside’s 2016 calendar.  Winners will be announced on Sunday, April 26, 2015 during Trailside’s Wild Earth Fest event.  All photographs will be displayed at Trailside’s Visitor Center through May 29, 2015.

            To obtain a brochure with the complete list of rules and entry form for the Wildlife Photography contest, call Trailside at 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside.   Trailside Nature & Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Millions of homeowners woke up in their homes this morning thanks to a loan modification. When the threat of foreclosure loomed due to the loss or reduction of income, illness, divorce or other reasons, loan modifications lowered mortgage payments and helped many families stay in their homes and communities.

But did you know scammers are sending fake loan modification packages to get money? More homeowners are learning about the Mortgage Assistance Relief Services (MARS) rule, which made it ILLEGAL to be asked to pay money – for any reason – before the lender approves a loan modification in writing. So scammers created a new trick.

NeighborWorks America wants homeowners to know that scammers may “impersonate” the lender by mailing fake loan modification packages to make the homeowner think the lender has pre-approved a loan modification. The approval may be on letterhead that looks like lender letterhead, and some borrower information may even be accurate. But the contact information will not be from your lender, and there is usually a payment request to start the loan modification. Scammers will ask for these payments – trial payments, reinstatement or processing fees – to be sent to an address not affiliated with your lender or via wire transfer to finalize the modification. This is a scam. 

What can you do? There are five steps to protect yourself from this fake loan modification scam.

To learn more signs, visit NeighborWorks America’s Loan Modification Scam Alert website at http://www.loanscamalert.org.

Union County – The Union County Commission on the Status of Women is pleased to announce the 2015 recipients of the Women of Excellence Awards. The honorees will be celebrated at the 23rd annual Women of Excellence dinner on March 20, 2015, at Galloping Hill Caterers in Union Township

“The Freeholder Board is proud to support the Commission in recognizing the dedication and service of women to their community,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “This year’s nominees are an inspiration to all of us, and I hope that in highlighting their work others will be moved to do the same.”

The Women of Excellence Awards, supported by the Union County Freeholder Board, are presented to recognize and honor distinguished women who reside or work in Union County. The candidates are nominated based on their achievements and the impact of their work on the County of Union in areas like Arts and Humanities, Business, Community Service, Education, Government, Law, Medicine/Health Care and/or Women’s Advocacy.

The 2015 honorees and their respective categories are:

• Karolina Szatkowski- Women’s Advocacy
• Tricia Nering- Humanitarianism
• Kathy Lloyd- Media
• Reverend Joy Mounts- Youth Advocacy
• Ceil Mantia- Lifetime Achievement
• Cynthia Alexander- Community Leader
• Lynne Fitzpatrick- Business Leader
• Amy Boroff- Entrepreneurship
• Erica Bell Foster- Education
• Detective Adrian Gardner- Law Enforcement

Tickets for the dinner are available at $45.00 per person by contacting Carol Lombardo, 908-789-0508.

• Agenda Setting Freeholder Meeting
• Thursday’s Freeholder Agenda Setting Meeting of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders has been canceled due to inclement weather and rescheduled for next Thursday, March 12th, commencing at 7 p.m. The Regular Meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders will commence as soon as possible after the Agenda Setting Session.

• Alcohol/Drug Abuse (A/DA) Grant Funds RFP
  • The technical assistance meeting originally scheduled on Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 10AM per the Public Notice and the RFP document for the above RFP has been re-scheduled due to the impending inclement weather in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The technical assistance meeting is now scheduled for and will be held on Friday, March 6, 2015 at 2PM.

Union County Freeholders Alexander Mirabella, Vernell Wright, Sergio Granados, Christopher Hudak and Bette Jane Kowalski read to children at the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Springfield on March 2 during the Union County Education Association’s annual Read Across America event. Read Across America is a reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading in honor of the birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss. (Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)