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NEWARK – Union County Freeholder Angel Estrada was elected Second Vice Chairman of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) at today’s Board of Trustees meeting. The NJTPA oversees regional transportation planning and annually authorizes more than $1 billion in federal surface transportation funding for 13 counties in northern and central New Jersey.

“A well-functioning transportation network is essential to our quality of life here in northern New Jersey,” said Estrada, who joined the NJTPA Board of Trustees in 2012 and also serves as Vice Chairman of the NJTPA’s Freight Initiatives Committee. “I look forward to working in my new capacity to improve mobility and infrastructure for residents in Union County and throughout the region.”

At the meeting, the NJTPA Board selected four other members of its Executive Committee. In addition to Estrada, the elected members of the Executive Committee are: Hudson County Executive Thomas DeGise, Chairman; Ocean County Freeholder James F. Lacey, First Vice Chairman; and Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr., Secretary. In keeping with the NJTPA bylaws, DeGise appointed Somerset County Freeholder Peter S. Palmer to the position of Third Vice Chairman.

The Executive Committee provides guidance and leadership to the full Board on a wide range of planning, policy and administrative issues. It meets as needed to review financial, personnel and policy matters. Board membership is an uncompensated position.

Estrada was first elected as a freeholder in 1999 and has more than 30 years of business and public service experience. He is currently a Board of Trustees member at Meadowlink, a Transportation Management Association. Freeholder Estrada previously served on the Elizabeth Board of Education, the Elizabeth Housing Authority, and is a former vice president of the National Association of Hispanic County Officials.

Freeholder Estrada emigrated from Cuba to the United States over 50 years ago and has made Elizabeth his home ever since. He earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in history and Spanish from Kean College (now Kean University) in Union.

The NJTPA is the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for 13 northern New Jersey counties.  Under federal legislation, MPOs provide a forum where local officials, public transportation providers and state agency representatives can come together and cooperatively plan to meet the region’s current and future transportation needs.  It establishes the region’s eligibility to receive federal tax dollars for transportation projects.

The NJTPA Board consists of one local elected official from each of the 13 counties in the region (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren), and the cities of Newark and Jersey City.  The Board also includes a Governor’s Representative, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the Executive Director of NJ TRANSIT, and the Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Men and women who enjoy the game of softball can be a part of the game by becoming certified Amateur Softball Association softball umpires. The Greater Union County ASA Softball Umpires Association, in cooperation with the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation, will conduct its annual softball umpires training program beginning Tuesday, February 18.

After the initial meeting, the training classes will take place from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Monday evenings from Feb. 24 through March 31 at the Union County Administration Building in Elizabeth. The cost of this six-week umpiring course is $150. The classes are open to men and women, 18 years of age and older, who are interested in umpiring softball games.

For more information and registration details, please contact the Union County, New Jersey, Amateur Softball Association office of Joe Massaro at (732) 558-3375; email: commissioner@asasoftballucnj.org; or Bill Smith at (908) 259-0154; email: willsmith43@comcast.net; or you can log on to:www.asasoftballucnj.org.

Union County, NJ – Get your school or youth group garden off to a great start by attending the “Get Your School Garden Growing” conference on Saturday, February 22, at the Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside. The full day of gardening workshops includes STEM and nutrition lesson planning, all conducted by experts from the Rutgers Cooperative Extension with support from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. A fee of $25 includes lunch and all materials. Pre-registration is required by February 14. Information: visit ucnj.org/rce, call the Union County Extension office in Westfield, 908-654-9854 (press “2”), or email Judith Laganga, jlaganga@ucnj.org.

Union County, NJ – Get your school or youth group garden off to a great start by attending the “Get Your School Garden Growing” conference on Saturday, February 22, at the Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside. The full day of gardening workshops includes STEM and nutrition lesson planning, all conducted by experts from the Rutgers Cooperative Extension with support from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. A fee of $25 includes lunch and all materials. Pre-registration is required by February 14. Information: visit ucnj.org/rce, call the Union County Extension office in Westfield, 908-654-9854 (press “2”), or email Judith Laganga, jlaganga@ucnj.org.

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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.

Union County, NJ – Sensory Friendly Theater, a performing arts series especially for children and adults with autism and other sensory sensitivities, kicked off its third year at the Union County Performing Arts Center with a record crowd for the sensory friendly percussion extravaganza “Things That Go Bang.” Joining the percussionists on stage were Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (far left), Vernell Wright (3rd from left), and Linda Carter (far right). The series, which is supported in part by the Freeholder Board, continues on March 16 with the New Jersey Ballet performing Sleeping Beauty. For more information visit ucpac.org or call the box office, 732-499-8226.   (photo: Karen Napier/UCPAC)

ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of artworks from the “Art from the HEART” fine arts program. The exhibition is a partnership between The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey and Sage Eldercare in Summit, NJ. The Freeholders Gallery is located on the 6th floor of the Union County Administration Building, Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. The exhibit will run through Friday, January 31.

The “Art from the HEART” is in its thirteenth year. Led by instructor Lela Kometiani, the program encourages self-expression, increases self-esteem by recapturing the joy of creativity, and helps keep participants’ minds sharp. “Art from the HEART” is made possible in part by a HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Additional funding is provided by the Summit Area Public Foundation.

The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is the state’s largest institution dedicated exclusively to viewing, making and learning about contemporary art, comprising a renowned studio art school and a thriving education, exhibition and programming schedule. Its service mission includes a commitment to creating access to the arts for a range of constituents, from at-risk children and youth to people with special needs and senior adults. To learn more about Art Center programs, visit www.artcenternj.orgor call 908-273-9121.

SAGE Eldercare supports the independence, well-being and quality of life of older adults, their families and caregivers, through the provision of client-centered health, social and support services. SAGE is proud to offer a wide range of programs and services that support seniors in the challenges they face during the later stages of life. For more information about SAGE, visitwww.sageeldercare.org or call 908-273-5550.

For further information about this exhibit or to find out about exhibiting at the Freeholders Gallery, please contact the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202; telephone, 908-558-2550; or email: culturalinfo@ucnj.org. NJ Relay users may dial 711.

ELIZABETH, NJ—In the effort to continue outreach with residents, Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak recently announced the launch of the County of Union’s Instagram page during his County Government reorganization speech. The page is at instagram.com/unioncountynj

“With the opening of this new social media platform, the County continues to add new ways to communicate our services to the public,” said Hudak. “Social media has re-engineered the landscape in creating, sharing and exchanging information, and Union County is at the forefront of this technology.”

Instagram is a free social media platform, acquired by Facebook in 2012, that will enable the County to share photographs—and written information—with the public.

Also as part of his initiatives, Hudak also announced the County’s webpage (www.ucnj.org) would be redesigned to make it easier to navigate, and a subscription service would be added for periodic updates on County information.

The County currently maintains Facebook (ucnj.org/facebook), Twitter (https://twitter.com/countyofunionnj), Youtube account (https://ucnj.org/videochannel/), and a webpage at www.ucnj.org The County of Union also uses the UC First Alert Network to immediately contact residents during a crisis or emergency.

Group Lavender and the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders at the 157th Union County Reorganization

Group Lavender (Left to Right): Alyson Liu, Kalilah Underwood, Kristen Nugent, Thomas Little, Johann Ernest, Shazuil Bennett, Jalyse LeeUnion County Board of Chosen Freeholders (Left to Right): Freeholder Bruce Bergen, Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak, Freeholder Linda Carter, Freeholder Vernell Wright, Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, Freeholder Angel G. Estrada, Freeholder Sergio Granados, Freeholder Vice Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh

Union County – The winner of the UC STEP Civic Engagement challenge was recently announced by Union County Freeholder Chairman Christopher Hudak at Union County’s 157th reorganization meeting. Group Lavender won the challenge with over 1800 votes from students, teachers, parents and community members with their “Support 4 Soldiers” campaign.

“Over 4600 votes came in county-wide for the various projects,” Hudak said, “The Freeholder Board is proud, not only that our local student came up with such thoughtful and inspiring ideas, but more that the members of our community came together to show them such great support.”

The headline event of Union County’s very first UC STEP program, the Civic Engagement Challenge brought students together to brainstorm and create a county-wide community service campaign which will be enacted through the Freeholder Board in connection with Union County students.

“Support 4 Soldiers” will include a coordinated drive to collect items to be used in care packages for active military troops. Collection sites will be located in local schools, movie theaters, and libraries.

UC STEP, promotes positive youth development through focusing on topics like leadership, personal growth, and more importantly, civic engagement.

This year’s event, hosted by Kean University, brought together 192 high school sophomores and juniors from 26 high schools across the County, and featured discussion sessions, including “You Be the Judge,” which focused on crafting an effective elevator speech, and “How to be an Effective Leader,” which focused on identifying the diversity, concerns, and values of individuals.

For more information about UC STEP or the Support 4 Soldiers campaign, please visithttp://ucnj2.org/uc-step.

WESTFIELD, NJ – For a limited time only, the Union County Clerk’s offices in Westfield and Elizabeth are offering free passport photographs as a special incentive for residents to apply for a passport. From Tuesday, January 21, through Saturday, February 1, the normal $10 cost of each photograph will be waived when a resident applies for a new passport or a passport renewal.

“With spring vacations just a couple months away, now is the time to make sure your passport is up-to-date,” said Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi. “My offices are helping travelers save on their vacation expenses by providing free photographs for those who apply for a passport while still providing a full range of passport services with no need for an appointment.”

U.S. citizens must present a valid passport book when entering or re-entering the United States by air. U.S. citizens entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean islands and Bermuda at land borders and sea ports of entry must present a passport book, passport card, or other travel documents approved by the U.S. government.

“Our Elizabeth office opens at 7:30 a.m. and it has experienced, helpful, English and Spanish-speaking certified passport agents ready to assist you in any way we can,” Rajoppi said. “Our Westfield office, which opens at 8 a.m. weekdays, has convenient evening and Saturday hours and also is fully staffed.”

Information about the cost and how to apply for a passport book and/or passport card is available athttp://travel.state.gov. U.S. citizens may also obtain passport information by phone, in English and Spanish, by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 1-877-487-2778.

Passport application forms may be obtained at the County Clerk’s main office in the Union County Courthouse at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth or at the Colleen Fraser Building at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield. Applications for passports and related information also can be found online at: www.ucnj.org/Passports.

“Some countries require passports to be valid for an additional three, six or nine months after your visit,” Rajoppi added. “If your passport is due to expire within nine months of your international travel, you should renew your passport to ensure a smoother journey.”

The Westfield office is the only County Clerk’s office in the state that is open during evening hours. It is open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday; from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; and on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The telephone number in Westfield is 908-654-9859.

The Elizabeth office is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The telephone number in Elizabeth is 908-527-4966. Clients are asked to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to closing time to allow for staff assistance with the passport process.

For more information about obtaining a U.S. passport, please call (908) 527-4966.

Roselle, NJ- Union County Sheriff’s Officers arrested John Lopez of Elizabeth on a cold case parole warrant in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Lopez, 33, was wanted by New York State Division of Parole for parole violation and had been a fugitive since 2008.

The Cold Case Division of the New York State Parole Board contacted the Union County Sheriff’s Fugitive Unit last week with some new information on the Lopez case.

The new information produced fresh leads that ultimately resulted in the arrest without incident.

Lopez has an extensive criminal record in both New York and New Jersey for possession, manufacturing and distribution of controlled dangerous substances.

He was booked into the Union County Jail and is being held without bail.  He faces 6 years to life in prison on the parole violation in New York State.

The Union County Sheriff’s Officers credited with making the arrest are Charles Mancuso, Erik Finne, Anthony Gialanella, George Gyure, Mike Schultz and Carlo Caparruva.