Author: Web Site Administrator

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – Trailside Nature & Science Center is offering families a unique opportunity to learn foraging techniques from “Wildman” Steve Brill, America’s go-to guy for foraging wild edible plants.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Community Renewal are pleased to announce two upcoming dates at Trailside for this novel and exciting class on foraging: Saturday, April 16, or Saturday, May 28. Each class will run from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. and is recommended for adults and families with children, ages 6 and older.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for people to learn about wild edibles from a noted expert and to see what is growing in the Watchung Reservation, as well as in many of our own backyards,” said Freeholder Daniel Sullivan, liaison to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

The fee per person is $10 for adults, ages 18 and older, and $5 per child, ages 6-17. Pre-registration is preferred but walk-ins will be accommodated as space permits.

Participants in this class will be introduced to world famous naturalist and author, “Wildman” Steve Brill, who has led thousands of foraging tours and is best known for his many tours in Central Park in New York City. This class is a unique opportunity to join the “Wildman” for a two-hour foraging tour of the Watchung Reservation.

Attendees will learn to identify, harvest ecologically and use many of the common, tasty, healthful, overlooked renewable mid-spring shoots, greens and herbs, otherwise considered “weeds.” The class will culminate with a tasting menu of such unwanted plants as lamb’s quarters, curly dock, common milkweed, pokeweed, sassafras, burdock and many more.

To register for a foraging class or for information on any other programs or upcoming events at Trailside, call908-789-3670 or visit us on the web at www.ucnj.org/trailsidehttps://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.orghttps://ucnj.org, on Facebook atwww.ucnj.org/facebookhttps://ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi reports that beginning on Friday, April 1, all United States birth certificates submitted for minor or adult passport applications must contain the name of the parent or parents in addition to the previous requirements.

“According to the State Department, birth certificates that do not include the name of the parents will not be acceptable as evidence of citizenship,” Ms. Rajoppi said.

The criteria for a birth certificate to be acceptable when applying for a U.S. passport include:

• Show the full name of the parents;
• Be issued by the office of vital statistics of the state, county, or city where the birth occurred;
• Show the full name of the child at birth;
• Indicate the date and place of birth;
• Bear the embossed, impressed, multi-colored, or seal and signature of the issuing authority;
• Indicate a registration or file date that is within one year of the birth; and
• Be an original and certified document (notarized photocopies are not accepted).

“As of April 1, United States birth certificates that do not meet these standards will not be accepted by passport application acceptance agents,” Ms. Rajoppi added.

Passport application forms may be obtained at the Union County Clerk’s main office, 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth, and at the County Clerk’s office annex, 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield. Applications for passports and related information also can be found online at www.ucnj.org/government/county-clerk/passports

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.

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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 Freeholders Daniel Sullivan (L), Mohamed Jalloh and Christopher Hudak (R) present a resolution to Roselle Catholic High School student Joe Gramiak of Elizabeth congratulating him on becoming the Union County Bowling Tournament Champion. (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.orghttps://ucnj.org
On Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebookhttps://ucnj.org/facebook
On Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj

The Union County Sheriff’s Office will offer an orientation/safety course to members of the public who would like to use the Union County Sheriff’s Office Pistol Range. The firearms facility will be open to the public on Sundays beginning May 1st.

The half-hour long course is designed to inform civilian shooters of the policies and standard operation procedures at the Union County Sheriff’s Office Pistol Range in order to provide the safest environment for recreational shooting. It is not a firearms training course.

A valid firearms identification card and a valid form of photo identification are required in order to attend the orientation/safety course which is mandatory for anyone wishing to use the range. Other safety courses or the NJ Division of Fish and Game Hunter Safety Course do not qualify as substitutes for the range course.

Upon completion of the course, participants will receive a Union County Sheriff’s Office Pistol Range Safety Card which must be presented during each visit to the range.

The range orientation/safety course will be held on April 14th, 18th, 21st and 25th at 7p.m. at the Union County Sheriff’s Office Pistol Range located at 301 Shunpike Road in Springfield.

The course will also be offered on the first Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at the range. No class will be held in July.

The fee for the course and safety identification card is $20 for Union County residents. The fee is $10 for Union County senior citizens and youths between 12 and 17 years old. For non-county residents the fee is $30 and $15 for out-of-county seniors and youths. These fees do no include range time which is $10 per hour.

The Union Sheriff’s Office Pistol Range will be open for public use on Sundays from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. from May through December. Shooters must present their Sheriff’s Office Pistol Range Safety Card and valid NJ Firearms ID card. Shooters must also provide their own targets, target frame/hanger and ammunition. Handguns are not to be greater than .45 in caliber. Magnum ammunition is not allowed. Only rifles of .22 caliber may be used.

For more information, contact the Union County Sheriff’s Office at (908) 273-1129.

Union County Freeholders Christopher Hudak (L), Daniel Sullivan (2nd L) and Mohamed Jalloh (R) present resolutions to the Roselle Catholic High School Boys Track Team congratulating them on winning the 2011 State Title. (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.orghttps://ucnj.org
On Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebookhttps://ucnj.org/facebook
On Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj

Union County Freeholders Christopher Hudak (L), Daniel Sullivan (2nd L) and Mohamed Jalloh (R) present resolutions to the Roselle Catholic High School Girls Basketball Team congratulating them on becoming the 2011 Union County Tournament Champions. (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.orghttps://ucnj.org
On Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebookhttps://ucnj.org/facebook
On Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj

Union County Freeholder Chairman Deborah Scanlon presents a resolution to Dennis Kobitz of Hillside congratulating him on becoming the President of the New Jersey Association of Election Officials. (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.orghttps://ucnj.org
On Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebookhttps://ucnj.org/facebook
On Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj

CRANFORD, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will sponsor a Household Hazardous Waste Collection event on Saturday, April 16, so Union County residents can get rid of household special waste, mercury thermometers and thermostats, propane tanks, and automobile tires in an environmentally safe manner. The collection will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the campus of Union County College, 1033 Springfield Avenue, 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 Deborah Scanlon. “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, mercury thermometers 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.

Residents can turn in their old mercury fever thermometers and receive a new mercury-free digital thermometer, free of charge. One new digital thermometer per household will be provided (while supplies last) regardless of the number of mercury thermometers dropped off. Please bring mercury thermometers in a sealed plastic bag to prevent release of mercury in case of accidental breakage.

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 April 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 April 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 .

PLAINFIELD, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for personal documents will be available on Friday, April 15, at Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents eliminate clutter in their homes and also fight identity theft,” said Freeholder Chairman Deborah P. Scanlon. “It is a cost-effective way to assist our recycling efforts and it ties in with our other Go Green Initiatives.”

The April 15 shredding event will take place in Cedar Brook Park, off Park Avenue, in Plainfield. NEXCUT Shredding of Teaneck will be shredding documents at the site from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., rain or shine. The shredding event will end before 1:00 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 all participants, there is a limit of four, 10-pound bags or boxes per person. Documents should not be bound. Please remove plastic binders and paperclips. 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 put through the shredder. 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 on Wednesday, May 18, at the Public Works facility in Union.

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 at www.ucnj.org/recycle .

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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 .

Elizabeth, NJ-The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present the Shared Services March Madness news clip on the video channel. Held earlier this month, the summit offered elected officials from all 21 of Union County’s municipalities the opportunity to explore new shared services opportunities and discuss innovative ways to improve existing services, while maintaining or reducing costs. The Shared Services Summit news clip highlights the evening’s events.

Produced by the Office of Public Information, additional video channel programming includes:

• Grand opening of the Vo-Tech Schools Academy for Performing Arts
• Remarks of Freeholder Chairman Deborah P. Scanlon at the 2011 Count
• Re-Organization Meeting
• TaylorMade Day at Galloping Hills Golf Course
• Columbus Day Flag Raising Ceremony
• Grand opening of Snyder Avenue Park in Berkeley Heights
• Highlights of the 2010 MusicFest
• Distribution of Recycling Enhancement Grants to municipalities
• Understanding the Probate Process
• Current and archived editions of Freeholder Forum and Vintage Views

The video page can be accessed through the “Video Channel” icon on the home page, or visithttps://ucnj.org/videochannel/.

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

On Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj