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Union County Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella and Vice Chairman Linda Carter (L) present a certificate to Dina Schwab (2nd L) and Jennifer Love of Autism Speaks in support of autism awareness at the North/Central NJ Bark Now walk for Autism Speaks at Oak Ridge Park in Clark.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release.   Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org

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CRANFORD, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will sponsor a Household Hazardous Waste Collection event on Saturday, June 16, so Union County residents can get rid of outdated or unwanted household chemicals, mercury thermostats, propane tanks, and automobile tires in an environmentally safe manner. The collection will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Union County College campus located at 1033 Springfield Avenue in Cranford, opposite Nomahegan Park.

Residents of Union County are eligible to participate at no cost. Pre-registration is not required for this special Saturday collection.

“The special household waste recycling program for Union County residents is particularly important as we become more aware of the need for proper disposal of hazardous items that are found around the home,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “The result of our effort is safer homes and a cleaner environment for our families and our neighbors.”

All that residents need to do is drive to the site with their household special waste, propane tanks, automobile tires, and mercury thermostats. Workers at the site will unload the vehicles.

“Household special waste” includes oil-based paint and varnish, antifreeze, aerosol cans, pool chemicals, corrosives, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, thinners, fire extinguishers, motor oil and oil filters, gasoline, batteries, thermostats, fluorescent bulbs (unbroken), blood pressure devices, and mercury switches. Only materials in original or labeled containers will be accepted. No containers larger than five gallons will be accepted.

Latex (water-based) paint and empty cans will not be accepted. They should be disposed of in with the regular garbage. Leftover latex paint can be air-dried or, to hasten the drying process, kitty litter and/or newspaper can be added to hasten the drying.

“This is a great opportunity to recycle up to eight tires and dispose of old chemical containers that are cluttering up the basement or the garage, or taking up space under the kitchen sink,” said Freeholder Christopher Hudak, liaison to the Union County Solid Waste Advisory Council. “Our homes become safer once they are rid of hazardous and combustible waste.”

There is a limit of eight automobile tires (without rims) per household. This is a household recycling event. No businesses, please.

Union County, in partnership with Covanta Energy, also includes mercury thermostats in its household waste recycling initiative. The mercury thermostat program complements the County’s efforts to collect household pollutants and divert mercury from the regional waste stream in order to help safeguard our water and air quality. What’s more, residents will receive a $5 gift certificate to Home Depot for turning in a mercury thermostat at the June 16 recycling event.

“Our partnership with Covanta allows us to extend our efforts to pursue environmentally sound methods of waste disposal,” Freeholder Hudak added.

A complete list of the materials that will be accepted on June 16 is available at the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning web site: www.ucnj.org/recycle

The household hazardous waste collection will be held rain or shine, for Union County residents only and not for businesses. Proof of Union County residency is required. For more information, please call the Recycling Hotline at (908) 654-9889.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

Union County – There is still time to register for Union County’s Luau for People with Disabilities. The registration deadline for the event, which is scheduled for Saturday, June 16 from 1p.m. to 4 p.m. at Oak Ridge Park, has been extended to June 10.

“We are constantly seeking new ways to expand our recreational programs to include safe and fun activities for people with special needs,” Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella said. “This is a wonderful outdoor event that we hope will bring out families from all parts of Union County.”

Expanding public recreation opportunities for people with disabilities is one of the Chairman’s top priorities as part of his 2012 “Putting People First” initiatives.

The Luau will feature music, games, crafts and refreshments for participants. The cost to attend is $10 per person and pre-registration is required; no refunds will be issued but credits will be given if the program is cancelled due to severe weather. Registration forms are available for download at https://ucnj.org/pd-form.

In addition to the upcoming Luau, the Freeholder Chairman has announced other recreational programs geared towards the special needs community including a Sensory Friendly Theater Series developed in conjunction with the Union County Performing Arts Center and Autism Friendly Spaces, LLC. The Series kicks off on June 10 with a performance by Tom Chapin and friends.

For additional information on the Luau or other programs for people with disabilities please contact Margaret Heisey, Program Coordinator with the Union County Parks Department at 908-527-4806 or via email atmheisey@ucnj.org.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Linda Carter and Frank Guzzo, Director of the Union County Department of Human Services, present a resolution to Plainfield Police Lieutenant Jeff Plum commending him for his continued dedication in assisting homeless individuals and families in Plainfield and his ongoing support of Union County’s annual United States Department of Housing and Urban Development mandated “Point in Time County and Survey of the Homeless.”  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella and Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski congratulate the Linden High School Consumer Bowl team on winning their 10th Union County Consumer Bowl. The team members are (from left) Kinga Zebracka, Tomas Giraldo, Milena Drozd, Zachary Modrak, Angelika Drozd, Mwakulomba Juma and Daniel Ortiz. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Linda Carter (4th L) and Freeholders Mohamed Jalloh (3rd R) and Vernell Wright (2nd R) joined (from left) Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, State Senator Raymond Lesniak, Greater Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Gordon Haas and Victor Richel, Chair of the Union County College Board of Trustees, as Union County College President Margaret McMenamin (C) and Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage (4th R) cut the ribbon officially opening the Career Services Center in the Kellogg Building on the college’s Elizabeth Campus.

The Career Services Center was created to be a comprehensive center for Union County workforce and economic development providing career, internship, employment and training programs and services to students, residents and businesses in Union County.

It was created from the partnership of Union County College, the County of Union, the City of Elizabeth, the Union County Workforce Investment Boards, the Greater Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce, the Elizabeth Development Company and the UCEDC.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

ENJOYING THE GREAT OUTDOORS – Bio-Blitz 2012 will take place from 5 p.m. Friday, June 8, through 5 p.m. Saturday, June 9, in three sections of the Rahway River Parkway in Rahway, Clark, Winfield Park and Cranford. An outdoor, tented field lab and exhibit space in Rahway River Park, off St. Georges Avenue in Rahway, will serve as a base of operations. For more information, call 908-789-3683, or visit the Union County website: www.ucnj.org. (Photo by Gary Szelc).

Calling all bird watchers, frog fanciers, fish aficionados and nature lovers of all varieties! Here’s your chance to find the answer to that age-old question: “What’s going on out there?” From Friday evening, June 8, through Saturday evening, June 9, Union County offers nature lovers of all ages the opportunity to get up-close and personal with wildlife in their own “backyard” during Bio-Blitz 2012.

Beginning at 5 p.m. on June 8, the annual outdoor event will organize teams of volunteer plant and wildlife specialists to scour three sections of Union County’s Rahway River Parkway in Rahway, Clark, Winfield Park and Cranford in search of wildlife over a 24-hour period.

“Although the Rahway River Parkway is surrounded by suburban development, it is a perfect example of how green spaces can provide a haven for people and wildlife,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “The Bio-Blitz is a great opportunity for the community to learn more about the natural places that make Union County a special place to live.”

The primary purpose of Bio-Blitz 2012 is to gain a “snapshot” of the biodiversity in the 384-acre Rahway River Parkway. Another important goal of the event is to raise public awareness of the importance of parkland as wildlife habitat and outdoor classrooms.

An outdoor, tented field lab and exhibit space in Rahway River Park, off St. Georges Avenue in Rahway, will serve as a base of operations. Plant, fungi, insect, fish, bird, mammal, amphibian and reptile teams, and water monitors (along with amateur naturalists) will collect and identify species from three sections of parkland.

Free nature-related programs for all ages will be offered throughout the event, including evening programs from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m. on Friday, June 8; and from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 9. Free shuttle buses will be available to get participants to and from program sites. Programs will include: River & Lake Sampling; Owl Prowl; Wild Edible Plant Walk; Fungi Foray; Early Morning Birding, and more.

Bio-Blitz Bingo will offer younger “scientists” an opportunity to record their findings and enter a drawing to win nature-related prizes. A Junior Scientist tent will have young naturalists interacting with hands-on activities related to the natural environment. Union County’s Trailside Nature & Science Center staff also will be on-hand to offer guided walks and provide live animal exhibits.

Bio-Blitz 2012 is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal, Kean University and the Rahway River Association, with partial funding provided by PSE&G.

For more information or to receive a brochure, call 908-789-3683 and leave your email address, or visit the Union County website: www.ucnj.org. Brochures also will be available at Trailside Nature & Science Center at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

The Union County Baseball Association invites young baseball players – boys and girls – ages 8 to 15, to register for its Summer Youth League baseball teams. This annual youth baseball program is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Union County Baseball Association, and the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal.

“Since 1945, Union County has offered opportunities for young ballplayers to strengthen their skills and have fun during the summer,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “The Summer Youth League continues this long tradition of providing coaches, umpires, shirts and baseball caps to boys and girls who enjoy participating in baseball games at Warinanco Park.”

All games during the Summer Youth League are played in Warinanco Park, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The games are coached and supervised by Union County Baseball Association staff.

Sign-ups for the summer league will be held at the Warinanco Park Boat House in Roselle on Saturdays June 2, 9, 16 and 23, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon each day. All those who register will participate in play.

Each player is required to bring a $25 registration fee and a birth certificate to the sign-up. Players must be at least 8 years old by June 22 and cannot be 16 before August 1.

The Summer Youth League is divided into three divisions: a Teen League for 13, 14 and 15-year-olds; a Major League for 11 and 12-year-olds; and a Minor League for 8, 9 and 10-year-old players. Registered players will be notified about Team Assignment Day and the first day of play. There will be no refunds after Team Assignment Day.

An awards picnic will be held on Friday, August 3, to mark the end of the Summer Youth Baseball League. For more information call 908-917-2523, or visit the Union County Baseball Association Website at www.ucba-nj.org.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

The Academy for Information Technology, one of five high schools at the Union County Vo-Tech Schools campus on Raritan Road in Scotch Plains.       (photo: Union County Vo-Tech Schools)

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that three schools at the Union County Vo-Tech campus have earned a place in the 2012 Newsweek list of top high schools in the country.

“This is another well-deserved testimony to the spirit of learning that runs consistently throughout the Vo-Tech Schools campus,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I wish to congratulate the students, teachers, staff and families on a job well done.”

“We encourage our students to think of themselves as valued members of their community,” said Dr. Thomas J. Bistocchi, Superintendent of the Vo-Tech Schools district. “That sense of engagement carries through to the classroom, and the result is an enthusiastic, active student body.”

For its survey, Newsweek ranked the top 1,000 schools using academic criteria such as graduation rates and college acceptances.

Union County Vo-Tech’s Magnet High School was ranked #102, the Academy for Information Technology was ranked #143, and the Academy for Allied Health Sciences was ranked #167.

The three schools also placed highly within the group of 44 New Jersey high schools in the top 500 of Newsweek’s list. Among these, Magnet was #5, Information Technology was #9, and Allied Health was #11.

Magnet High School, the Academy of Allied Health Sciences,  and the Academy for Information Technology were also recognized for excellence earlier this year by U.S. News & World Report, along with UC Tech High School.

A fifth school on the campus, the Academy for Performing Arts, was not included in either survey because it is a new school.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release.   Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – Basic Digital Photography, a class for adults, will be presented June 23
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside. Photographer Joan Pamboukes will explain focal length, aperture, shutter speeds, white balance, and basic lighting.
Bring a camera, tripod and manual. The fee is $45 for Union County residents; $55 for out-of-county participants. Pre-registration is preferred; walk-ins will be accommodated as space permits. For information call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Community Renewal invite adults, ages 18 and older, to learn the basics of  digital photography at a three-hour workshop on Saturday, June 23 at Trailside Nature & Science Center. The workshop runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The fee is $45 for Union County residents and $55 per person for out-of-county participants. Space is limited so pre-registration is required.

“This is a great opportunity to learn the basics of digital photography and how to enjoy your camera,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “The instructor, Joan Pamboukes, brings a wealth of experience as a teacher and professional photographer to this workshop.”

The June 23 workshop is ideal for anyone who wants to become more familiar with a single lens reflex digital camera or sophisticated point-and-shoot camera with manual settings. Joan Pamboukes will bring clarity to topics such as focal length, aperture, shutter speeds, and white balance. Composition and basic lighting strategies also will be addressed. Joan has been an art and photography instructor in Boston, New York and New Jersey. She currently teaches at The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey in Summit.

Participants are asked to bring their camera system, with a fully charged battery, the manual and a tripod, if possible. Weather permitting, the class will go outside to capture the splendor of summer in the Watchung Reservation and create some beautiful images. Otherwise, students will practice their new photography skills in the Trailside Visitor Center. By the end of the workshop, basic camera functions will no longer be a mystery.

For additional information about the Adult Beginners Digital Photography Workshop or other programs and upcoming events at Trailside call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside.  Trailside Nature & Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.