Author: Web Site Administrator

Union County, NJ – A free public information event on injury prevention and other guidance for seniors and their caregivers will take place on Friday, May 23 at the Cranford campus of Union County College, 1033 Springfield Avenue. The event is sponsored by the Union County Department of Human Services in partnership with Union County College and the Psi Beta Honor Society.

Free blood pressure screenings will be available at the event, which also includes information on home care, care giver services, nutrition, legal services, and transportation services.

“By cutting down on your risk of injury, you can help ensure that your later years are healthy, active, and independent,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “I encourage seniors, their families, and caregivers to stop by the Cranford campus on May 23 to learn some reliable strategies for avoiding injury at home and outside.

Nationwide, millions of seniors are medically treated and tens of thousands die annually as a result of injuries, mostly due to falls.

The event is being held in recognition of May as Older Americans Month, a national designation that began in 1963. This year’s theme is “Safe Today, Healthy Tomorrow.”

In addition to providing information specific to injury prevention, personnel from the Division of Aging and Disability Resource Connection of the Union County’s Department of Human Services will be on hand to provide information on a wide range of resources for seniors, their families, and caregivers.

For more information about this event and other services and resources for senior adults age 60 and older and their families, call the Division on Aging and Disability Resource Center toll free at 888-280-8226 or visit ucnj.org/aging.

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Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak (4th R) led the ground breaking on the construction of a $11 million expansion of the West Hall building for the Union County Vocational-Technical School High School in Scotch Plains. He was joined by (from left) Scotch Plains Mayor Kevin Glover, Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, Union County Schools Interim Executive Superintendent Kathleen Serafino, UCVTS Board of Education President Jane Lorber, Assemblywoman Linda Stender, UCVTS Superintendent Peter Capodice, Freeholder Bruce Bergen, Freeholder Vernell Wright and Union County Deputy County Manager William Reyes.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

SCOTCH PLAINS— Union County elected officials, school administrators, teachers and students today broke ground on the construction of a $11 million expansion of the West Hall building for the Union County Vocational-Technical School High School.

The expanded, two-story, steel-frame academic building will service the district’s four-year, full-time Union County Vocational-Technical High School (UCTech) and will open in September, with more than 300 students expected to be using the facility.

“We’re hoping the next generation of Union County’s entrepreneurs, builders and creators will be educated here,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak, who also serves as a Freeholder liaison to Vo-Tech School Board. “We’re proud to be investing in our children’s future, and it pays off as Union County’s Vocational-Technical education system is one of the strongest in New Jersey.”

The 38,000 square-foot addition will contain 10 new classrooms, two new computer labs for biology and chemistry-physics, a faculty room, administration office, and a 1,200 square foot fitness center with adjoining health classroom. The total project cost of the expansion—approximately $11 million—will be financed through a county bond issue. The architect for the project is Netta Architects of Mountainside, and the general contractor is Mar-Bridge Enterprises of Matawan, NJ. Pinnacle Construction Management of Newark, is the construction manager.

“The addition to West Hall will be used to provide all the academic programs for UCTech full time students,” said Union County Vocational-Technical Schools Superintendent Peter A. Capodice. “At this time, all UCTech full-time students receive the academic portion of their program in our Academy for Information Technology (AIT at Bistocchi Hall). This will allow us to grow both the AIT and UCTech programs.”

UCTech is one of the five academies at the school, and offers students a four-year, full-time program that combines high-end academics with access to the career or technical training program of their choice. Students at UC Tech follow a comprehensive high school education program while simultaneously pursuing opportunities to study traditional vocational-technical programs. These programs include automotive technology, building trades, communication, public safety, culinary arts and cosmetology, among the 20 or programs.

UCTech, recipient of the “National Blue Ribbon School Award” in 2013, also has highly specialized career academies under its umbrella including Exercise Physiology and Related Sciences; the UCTech School of Design, and  the Teacher Education Academy.

Union County Vocational Technical High School’s shared-time vocational-technical training programs serves over 600 Union County high school students in 23 occupational areas as well as over 150 post-secondary adults. The District’s apprenticeship program continues to be the largest program in New Jersey serving over 2,500 apprentices.

More than 1,300 students—plus an additional 580 shared time students—attend all five academies of the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools system. In 2013 both the Academy for Information Technology (AIT) and the Magnet High School were recipients of the prestigious “National Blue Ribbon School Award”. This was the second time the Magnet High School earned the award (2004).

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Union County, NJ — The Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Program of Union County held its annual Public Presentation Night on April 25, treating the 23 judges and other audience members to a wide range of topics presented by 41 student 4-H club members.

“The 4-H clubs encourage young people to explore their interests while building communication and leadership skills,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I would like to thank all of the 4-H presenters for making this extra effort to share their knowledge and their interests with the Union County community.”

4-H Public Presentation Night provides students with experience in creating and delivering a public talk. The presenters select their own topics and rehearse with their 4-H club and family members.

Last month’s event took place on the campus of the Union County Vo-Tech Schools. It included 41 presenters in grades 1 through high school. Some of the topics included Mousetrap Powered Cars, Architecture of India, Living in Ireland, Giraffes, Manners and Behavior of a Proper Victorian Lady, CSI/Forensics, Drumming, and Knitting.

4-H is a youth development program of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, supported in part by the Freeholder Board. Union County 4-H clubs are open to students in grades 1-12 and cover many popular subjects including archery, Lego robotics, pet care, and more.

For more information about Union County 4-H contact 4-H Agent James Nichnadowicz at 908-654-9854 or Nichnadowicz@njaes.rutgers.edu, or visit ucnj.org/rce.

Ireland:  Dylan Kiell of Fanwood, a 6thgrade member of the Union County 4-H STEM Club, presented “Living in Ireland” at the annual Public Presentation Night of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H Program of Union County last month.

Forensics: Cassandra Hansen of Rahway, a 7th grade member of the Union County 4-H STEM Club, presented “CSI/Forensics” ” at the annual Public Presentation Night of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H Program of Union County last month.

Knitting: Camille Herbert of Plainfield, an 11th grade member of the Union County 4-H Teen Council, presented “Knitting” at the annual Public Presentation Night of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H Program of Union County last month.

Drumming: Brian Noonan of Fanwood, a 6th grade member of the Union County 4-H STEM Club, presented “Playing the Drums” at the annual Public Presentation Night of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H Program of Union County last month.

Photos courtesy of Union County 4-H Youth Development Program.

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MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – What better way to welcome spring than to come see Alana Van Rensselaer’s botanical artwork at Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside. The exhibit of 39 original botanical watercolor paintings, sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation, includes perennials and native species found in New Jersey woodlands. Trailside is open daily from noon until 5 p.m. and the botanical artwork will be on display until August 15.

Alana Van Rensselaer developed a love of nature from her mother and a creative passion from her father, Al Hartley, a cartoonist for Archie Comics. Her unique style emanates from her understanding of botany and her appreciation of the translucency of watercolor.

“Growing up in New Jersey with a lake in my backyard and surrounded by undisturbed woods, I discovered the wonderful natural world I try to portray on paper,” Ms. Van Rensselaer said. “We are living in a renaissance of botanical art and I feel very fortunate to have studied with some of the greatest masters of our day. It gives me great pleasure to share my journey in the hope of enriching others.”

Alana studied at the International Studio of Chinese Art in Hong Kong, where she learned the defining art of single stroke brush painting, and she graduated with a certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration from the New York Botanical Garden. She is a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists, the Visual Arts Center of Summit, the Mid Atlantic Society of Botanical Artists, and the Contemporary Center for Art.

Her work has been in exhibitions for the New York Horticultural Society, the Frelinghuysen Arboretum, the Mayo Arts Center, the Great Swamp Watershed Association, the Retrospective Show of the Land Conservancy of New Jersey, the India Fine Arts Society in New Delhi, and is currently in an exhibit at the Arnolfini Museum in Bristol, England.

For information about upcoming programs and events at Trailside, please call 908-789-3670 or visitWWW.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.

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MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation are pleased to offer a special presentation about “Spring Warblers” on Saturday, May 17 at Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

“This is the perfect time to be outdoors observing the new life that spring brings,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “The lecture on Spring Warblers will prepare you to identify these avian visitors.”

Adults, ages 18 and older are welcome to join Audubon naturalist Peter Bacinski for a lecture that will heighten awareness of a species that enhances the New Jersey landscape throughout the spring season. This program is sponsored by the Trailside Museum Association, an organization of volunteers who support the activities of Trailside Nature and Science Center.

“Spring Warblers” will offer participants an opportunity to sharpen their skills at identifying America’s most beautiful songsters in their finest breeding attire. Mr. Bacinski will cover the 35 species of eastern resident and migrant warblers. Images will illustrate diagnostic field marks to help separate members of this difficult group in the field.

Peter Bacinski has been a New Jersey Audubon Society naturalist since 1993 and a Field Trip/Nature Tour leader and lecturer for New Jersey Audubon for many years. He writes a weekly column in The Star-Ledger, “Seen in New Jersey,” and also has been published in Wildbird Magazine, NJ Audubon and Illinois Audubon magazines.

The fee for “Spring Warblers” is $10 for Union County residents and $12 for out-of-county participants. Pre-registration is preferred but walk-ins will be accommodated as space permits.  For information on this or other Adult Programs or for upcoming programs and 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 in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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UNION, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for confidential personal documents will be available on Wednesday, May 14, at the Township of Union DPW facility in Union.

“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 May 14th shredding event will take place at the Department of Public Works facility in Union, located on Swanstrom Place, off Vauxhall Road. 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. The next shredding event will take place Wednesday, June 4, at the DPW facility in Clark.

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

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Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak (2nd R) and (from L) Freeholders Sergio Granados, Angel G. Estrada, Bette Jane Kowalski, Vernell Wright, Alexander Mirabella and Bruce Bergen accept a check from Investors Bank Assist Vice President Carmen Rivera (4th L) in support of Union County Parks and Recreation summer programs. The banks’ sponsorship of $10,500 will be help support Union County’s Summer Arts Concert Series, Family Fun and Flix movies and the Harvest Festival. For more information about Union County Parks and Recreation visit ucnj.org. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County, NJ – The Union County Women Mean Business (UCWMB) Summit returns for the second year this spring.  The program offers networking opportunities and workshops designed to help women develop strategies that can help them succeed in today’s challenging business environment

The 2014 UCWMB Summit will be held on Wednesday May 28, 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. at the Clubhouse at Galloping Hill, at Union County’s public Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth. Online registration is open now at ucnj2.org/business.

“The UCWMB Summit is a unique opportunity for women in our business community to network with their peers while gaining new insights into resources that can foster their professional growth and development,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “Last year’s event was a tremendous success and this year, thanks to our sponsors, we have set the bar even higher.”

For a registration fee of $35 the 2014 UCWMB Summit includes workshops and seminars on organizational strategies, personal branding, financial management, crowd funding, and the benefits of volunteerism.

The registration fee also includes lunch and a chance to win prizes including roundtrip airline tickets. The first 15 registrants will have the opportunity to meet with a personal coach for a free mini coaching session.

The featured speaker for the 2014 Summit is Jill Johnson, CEO of the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL) and Workshop in Business Opportunities, a long-running organization that supports aspiring entrepreneurs in underserved communities.

Prior to launching IFEL Ms. Johnson’s career in the business sector spanned 22 years including experience as a financial analyst for Goldman, Sachs & Co. as well as publishing, strategic business planning, and fundraising.

In her leadership of IFEL, Ms. Johnson has won contracts with the New Jersey Department of Labor, the Newark Urban Enterprise Zone and the Rutgers Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development to provide entrepreneurial training and support services.

The Union County Women Mean Business Summit is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Union Center National Bank, Atlantic Health System, KemperSports, TaylorMade, Winning Strategies Washington and Southwest Airlines. The Union County Means Business Series is offered in partnership with the Union County Alliance, Union County Economic Development Corp., Greater Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce, Suburban Chambers of Commerce, Union Township Chamber of Commerce, Kean University, and Union County College.

For online registration and more details, including information about the Union County Means Business networking series, visit ucnj2.org/business or call 908-527-4103.

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UNION, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will recognize local artists and present awards at a reception on Tuesday, May 6, at the 13th Annual Exhibit and Contest for County of Union Employees and Their Families. The free reception and awards ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Elizabethtown Gas Company, located in the Liberty Hall Center, 1085 Morris Avenue in Union.

“This show offers a chance for our Union County employees and family members to shine,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board. “The artwork that they do in their spare time is outstanding, and we are proud to display it in the beautiful atrium space of the Liberty Hall Center. We are grateful to Elizabethtown Gas for generously hosting the program and awards reception and to the National Arts Program Foundation for funding the prize awards.”

Presented in partnership with the National Arts Program®, the exhibit will be open weekdays until May 27, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“The Freeholders share the goal of the National Arts Program Foundation to reach as many people as possible of all ages, offering them a chance to show their creations,” said Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak. “We invite you to view this exhibit of exceptional artwork at the Liberty Hall Center.”

The art exhibit will be judged by three prominent artists and/or arts administrators: Larry Cappiello, Darlene Foster and Valerie Moreno.

Lawrence Cappiello is a founder of Arts Guild New Jersey (formerly the Arts Guild of Rahway), a non-profit center for the arts in Rahway, and he has served as Executive Director of the organization since 1998. Mr. Cappiello studied Art at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. He holds an MA degree in Studio Art and Art Education from Kean University and has other formal training at The Art Students League in New York City and various institutions in New Jersey and New York.

Darlene Foster studied drawing and painting at the Sarah Brown School of Art in Atlanta and participated in shows and exhibits. She moved to Plainfield in 1977 and began incorporating photography into her artwork. This led to a 17-year employment as a retouching artist with The Image Maker Photography Studio in Berkeley Heights and freelance clients. Ms Foster currently works doing photographic painting, retouching, restoration and collage for photographers and the general public as well as her personal artwork.

Valerie Moreno is a painter who earned her B.A. from the College of New Rochelle, with graduate studies in Fine Arts at Brooklyn College and Montclair State University. Her one-person exhibits include: J&J World Headquarters, New Brunswick; ETS, Princeton; The Library of the Chathams; New Providence Public Library; the Summit Medical Group, Berkeley Heights; and the Bernardsville Library. Her work is included in the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C.

The National Arts Program® is in its 31st year and runs 82 annual programs reaching 450 cities in 38 states. The program was conceived by Leonard E.B. Andrews (1925 – 2009), an art collector, publisher, business executive and journalist, “for the encouragement and development of artistic expression.” The goal of the National Arts Program® is to provide an uninhibited opportunity for people to present their talent, at whatever level, in a free, public exhibition. The National Arts Program® is sponsored by The National Arts Program Foundation of Malvern, Pennsylvania. To learn more about the program, visit www.thenationalartsprogram.org .

Additional support for this event is provided by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth NJ 07202. Telephone (908) 558-2550 or e-mail: culturalinfo@ucnj.org. NJ relay users dial 711.

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Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak (2nd R) and Freeholder Bruce Bergen (R) speak with Family and Community Together Executive Director Richard Hlavacek and Prevention Links Executive Director Pamela Capaci at the “Doing Good – Better” Conference in Mountainside. The day-long event featured workshops designed to help non-profit organizations sustain and improve their operations while managing the bottom line. The conference was sponsored by Community Access Unlimited and hosted by the Union County Non-Profit Consortium (UCNPC). For more information about UCNPC call the Union County Department of Human Services at 908-527-4808.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)