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Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak (R) introduces U.S. Senator Cory Booker and  Kristina Hahn, head of Consumer Packaged Goods at Google, during the Union County Means Business “Think Globally, Act Locally” breakfast networking session October 21 at Hamilton Stage in Rahway.

The event was designed to explore opportunities for business growth through electronic media and also featured SHR Marketing CEO Stan Robinson in a roundtable discussion moderated by Tara Dowdell, Founder and Principal of the Tara Dowdell Group.

“Think Globally, Act Locally” is part of the Freeholder Board’s Union County Means Business initiative, which provides free networking sessions and other services for the local business community.

For more information about Union County Means Business visit the UCMB website, ucnj2.org/ucmb, or call 908-527-4802.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County, NJ — Nominations for the 23^rd Annual Women of Excellence Awards are now being accepted. The award, sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Commission on the Status of Women, celebrates the diverse achievements of women who have distinguished themselves in professional or volunteer fields in Union County.

“The Women of Excellence Awards honor the many ways in which women strengthen the Union County community, by sharing the inspiring stories of awardees from many different backgrounds,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “Nominate an extraordinary woman in your life, and help contribute to this effort.”

Women can be nominated for their contributions in the categories of Arts and Humanities, Business and Entrepreneurial, Community Service, Education, Government, Law, Law Enforcement, Medicine and Health Care, or Women’s Advocacy.

The Women of Excellence award is open to all women, 21 years or older, who live, work, or volunteer in Union County.

Awardees will receive a certificate and will be celebrated at the annual Women of Excellence gala awards dinner, to be held on March 20, 2015 at Galloping Hill Caterers in Union Township.

For more information about submitting a Women of Excellence nomination, or to download a nomination form, visit ucnj.org/women-of-excellence. Questions about the nomination process can be emailed tojoahara1217@gmail.com.

All nominations should be mailed to Jane O’Hara at 708 Newark Avenue,Westfield, NJ 07090 and postmarked no later than December 1, 2014.

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Please join the County of Union online at ucnj.org, on Facebook at ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter attwitter.com/countyofunionnj.

(From left) Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak and Vice Chairman Mohamed Jalloh met with U.S. Senator Cory Booker, Freeholder Vernell Wright, Union County College President Margaret McMenamin and Kean University President Dawood Farah to discuss a $3.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to develop a program focused on increasing the success among Hispanic college students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines at Kean’s STEM building in Union. Union County College, a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), received a 5-year, $3.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE), and selected Kean University as its 4-year college partner. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County – Limited tickets are still available for RENT,the musical, produced by Mystic Vision Players, at the Main Stage at the Union County Performing Arts Center; sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Performances are limited to two weekends, November 7th and 8th, 14th and 15^th at 8:00pm.

Set in the East Village of New York City, RENT is about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Winner of the TONY Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, RENT has become a pop cultural phenomenon with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages.

Based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme, Jonathan Larson’sRENT follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.

To purchase tickets for this exclusive Union County production, visit http://ucpac.org, or contact the Union County Performing Arts Center’s box office at 732-499-8662.

This program is being sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders in connection with the Union County Performing Arts Center. Performances are produced by Mystic Vision Players with direction by Howard Whitmore, choreography by Melanie Jefferson and musical direction by David Maglione.

Mystic Vision Players is a non-profit theatre company based in Linden, NJ dedicated to the growth and showcasing of all types of performing arts. In 1995, MVP became the resident theatre company of the Linden Cultural & Heritage Committee and has consistently received critical & audience acclaim and nominations as “Outstanding” in areas of Choreography, Acting, Music, and Overall Productions by the NJ Association of Community Theaters.

For additional information on this program, please contact Danni Newbury, Union County Office of Public Information, 908-527-4742.

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CRANFORD, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for personal documents will be available on Saturday, November 1, at Union County College in Cranford.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft and eliminate clutter in their homes,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak, liaison to the Solid Waste Advisory Council. “It is a cost-effective way to assist our recycling efforts and it ties in with Union County’s other Go Green Initiatives.”

The Nov. 1^st shredding event will take place at the Cranford campus of Union County College, located at 1033 Springfield Avenue in Cranford, opposite Nomahegan Park. NEXCUT Shredding of Elizabeth will be shredding documents at the site from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. The shredding 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. Documents should not be bound. 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. This will be the final Union County-sponsored shredding event for this year.

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

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MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation invite you to explore the fascinating world of rocks, minerals, fossils and gems at Trailside Nature and Science Center on Saturday, Nov. 1, and Sunday, Nov. 2 from noon to 5 p.m. on both days. Admission to the event on both days is free.

“This annual event, open to the public, brings the world of rocks and gems to life with many exhibits and displays,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “Geologists young and old will be mesmerized by the variety of specimens on display.”

The Rock, Gem & Mineral Show, sponsored jointly with the New Jersey Mineralogical Society, will host more than 20 vendors selling minerals, rocks, gemstones, jewelry, sea shells and fossils from around the world. There will be something for everyone at this unique event.  Children can purchase geodes, arrowheads and fluorescent minerals while adults may enjoy the jewelry, fine gems and collector-grade pieces. Free children’s activities will be offered both days with face painting on Sunday.

For more information about the Rock, Mineral & Gem Show, or upcoming programs and special events at Trailside, call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside.  Trailside Nature and Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road (at Coles Avenue) in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

REGION – The Raritan Valley Rail Coalition (RVRC) will be holding a special Open House meeting in Cranford on October 27 from 6 to 8 pm to update the public on the issues surrounding the ‘one seat’ ride initiative.   NJ TRANSIT’s decision last week to not roll out the after 8 pm weekday ‘one seat’ service as planned has brought this issue to the forefront.

RVRC is a non-profit, bi-partisan advocacy group that was established in 1998 primarily to advocate for a ‘one seat’ ride into NYC Penn Station for the Raritan Valley Rail Line.  Some progress has been made with the partial deployment of dual powered locomotives during weekday off peak, but budget constraints were cited by NJ TRANSIT as the reason no further deployment would be made this year.

While the RVRC usually holds morning meetings, they are holding a special public meeting on October 27 from 6-8 pm to accommodate commuters at the Cranford Community Center at 220 Walnut Avenue in Cranford (one block from the train station).  A representative from NJ TRANSIT will be present along with Coalition members to update the public regarding service along the line and it will give the public the opportunity to ask questions, get information and share ideas.

“In light of recent developments, it is critical that residents, commuters and businesses attend this meeting and make their voices heard.  The meeting is open to everyone from every town on the Raritan Valley Line. Elected officials and NJ TRANSIT need to hear how important the ‘one seat’ ride is to everyone along this line,” said Peter Palmer, Somerset Freeholder and Chairman of the RVRC.

“The Freeholder Board is determined to work with New Jersey Transit to overcome this temporary setback and restore the funding to keep moving forward,” said Union County Freeholder and RVRC Trustee Bette Jane Kowalski.  “The cost of expanding one-seat rides on the Raritan Valley Line is very low, and the payback is enormous in terms of economic development, improved property values, and the productivity of our commuting workforce. Please come out and have your voice be heard.”

www.raritanvalleyrail.com

https://www.facebook.com/raritanvalleyrail?ref=hl

Further information:  Mindy Scarlett 908-499-9298   info@raritanvalleyrail.com

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(From left) Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak, Sen. Raymond Lesniak and Freeholders Alexander Mirabella, Vernell Wright, Angel G. Estrada, Bette Jane Kowalski and Sergio Granados present a resolution to Prevention Links Executive Director Pam Capaci (3^rd L) congratulating the organization on a successful 16th Annual Red Ribbon Drug Awareness Day on October 18 at Nomahegan Park in Cranford. The event kicked off Red Ribbon Week which is aimed at educating young people about the dangers of drugs and encourages them to live a drug free lifestyle. For more information, visit www.preventionlinks.org. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Bruce Bergen (L) present Springfield Mayor Richard Huber (C) and Deputy Mayor David Barnett with checks from the Kids’ Recreation Trust Fund and the “Greening Union County” grant programs at the October 16 Freeholder Board meeting in Elizabeth.

In 2014, almost $1 million in matching grants from the Kids’ Recreation Trust Fund will be distributed to municipalities across Union County that are looking to upgrade or build playing fields, including hockey rinks, soccer fields, baseball fields, swimming pools, and other recreational facilities for children and families.

The “Greening Union County” program helps local governments offset the cost of planting trees through matching grants.

Freeholder Bergen is the chairman of the Union County Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund which provides the matching grants for the program.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak (R) and Freeholder Bruce Bergen (L) present Linden Recreation Director Gary Luciano with a check from the “Greening Union County” grant program at the October 16 Freeholder Board meeting in Elizabeth.

The “Greening Union County” program helps local governments offset the cost of planting trees through matching grants.

Freeholder Bergen is the chairman of the Union County Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund which provides the matching grants for the program.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)