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Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (L) and Freeholder Sergio Granados (2nd L) joined Public Safety Director Andrew Moran (4th L), Union County Police Chief Daniel Vaniska (3rd R) and Union County Manager Alfred Faella (2nd R) while visiting members of Union County Police PBA Local 73 at the Habitat for Humanity project on West Seventh Street in Plainfield where members of PBA Local 73 volunteered and helped build houses that will go to a deserving member of the community. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee invites the public to hear a special lecture by Andrew Coldren, curator of the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia, entitled “A Matter of Honor: The Story of the Medal of Honor in the Civil War,” and view a new display about Union County Civil War Medal of Honor recipients in the Civil War Exhibition at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth on Friday, November 8, beginning at 1:30 p.m.

“Union County is honored to have Andrew Coldren speak here about the origin of the Medal of Honor during the Civil War as we commemorate the 150th anniversary of the 1861-65 conflict,” said Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi, chairman of the committee. “We welcome visitors to the Courthouse to learn more about the highest military honor presented to members of the U.S. armed forces and about the experiences of Union County residents during the Civil War.”

Andrew Coldren is responsible for the preservation, cataloging, research and documentation for the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia since 2005. A resident of Glassboro, New Jersey, he also is administrator/curator of the Salem County Historical Society. Mr. Coldren is a graduate of Temple University and earned Master’s degrees from Villanova University in American History and from Drexel University in Library and Information Science. In 2009, he managed the exhibit for the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Festival in Philadelphia and the collaborative exhibit, “Lincoln, Miami, and the American Dream,” with the Historical Society of Southern Florida.

The lecture by Andrew Coldren will be presented in the Courtroom of the Hon. Karen M. Cassidy, Assignment Judge of the Superior Court, at 1:30 p.m. To reserve a seat for the lecture, please call 908-527-4999.

The Civil War Exhibition is on display until 2015 in the rotunda of the Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street in historic midtown Elizabeth. The exhibit may be viewed weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The displays will change from time to time. Anyone wishing to loan historical artifacts from the Civil War era for the exhibit can contact committee member Katherine Craig at 908-282-7617. All objects will be secured, locked and acknowledged.

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Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich (2nd left) congratulates the winners of the 3rd Annual Union County Sheriff’s Pistol Competition at the Union County Sheriff’s Firearms Training Facility in Springfield. Officer Vincenzo Wegrezynek (2nd R) of the Linden Police Department won 1st Place. Union County Sheriff’s Sergeant Carlo Caparruva (R) took 2nd Place. Union County Police Officer Dino Capra (L) took 3rd Place.

(From left) Union County Freeholder Bruce Bergen, Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich, Dr. Ralph Oriscello, a Vietnam Veteran and former Chief of Cardiology at the East Orange Veterans Medical Center, historian and former Sheriff’s Former Chief Warrant Officer Lester Sargent, Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, Freeholder Sergio Granados, Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi, Freeholder Vernell Wright and Richard Thompson from the Union County Office of Veterans Affairs unveil the Medal of Honor Memorial at the Union County Complex in Elizabeth. The permanent monument honors the military service of the ten Union County recipients of the Medal of Honor.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

WATCHUNG RESERVATION – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Trailside Nature and Science Center are pleased to announce “Craft Day in the Barn” on Saturday, November 9, at the newly renovated historic Masker’s Barn, nestled in the woodsy Deserted Village in the Watchung Reservation. Two different workshops – one in the morning for adults only; the other in the afternoon for families – will offer participants a chance to get ready for the holidays and the spirit of the season by making their own crafts.

“These creative workshops are an ideal opportunity for making something from natural materials, in surroundings that inspire the participants,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Craft Day in the Barn is a nice way to welcome the holidays by sharing a creative experience with friends and family.”

The morning workshop for adults, 18 years and older, will take place from 10 a.m. to noon. The program for adults is $15 for Union County residents and $20 for out-of-county participants. Taught by Trailside naturalists, this workshop provides the materials and guidance to create a wreath, a swag and wall hangings made of natural materials. Light refreshments will be served. Bring a glue gun if you have one. Crafters will meet at the parking lot off Cataract Hollow Road in Berkeley Heights. Pre-registration is required as space is limited. Walk-ins will be accommodated as space permits.

The afternoon workshop for families will take place from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. This program is recommended for adults with children ages 5 and older. The fee is $10 per child for Union County residents and $12 per child for out-of-county participants, and includes the cost of materials. Pre-registration is required as supplies are limited. Adults must accompany children. Program participants should meet at the Deserted Village parking lot off Cataract Hollow Road in Berkeley Heights. Families will enjoy the scenery as a hay wagon shuttles them from the parking lot, past the old General Store and through Feltville to Masker’s Barn. Participants will then work on three different crafts before returning via hay wagon to their vehicles.

To pre-register for either workshop or for additional information about Craft Day in the Barn or other programs or upcoming events, stop at the Trailside Visitors Center from noon to 5:00 p.m. daily, 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.

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Union County Freeholders Sergio Granados (2nd left),  Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak(5th left), and Bette Jane  Kowalski (3rd right) present a check for $4,000 to the members of the Linden Halloween Parade Committee including (from left): Gary Luciano, Mayor Richard J. Gerbounka, Tom Walker, Mike Holencsak, Carl Pereira, Audrey Pereira, Paul Curldy, Nancy Dziedzic, and Steve Zielinski. The parade will take place on Sunday, October 27th at 2:00 p.m. on Wood Avenue. (photo courtesy of the County of Union)

(From left) Union County Freeholders Sergio Granados and Bette Jane Kowalski present resolutions to Richard Wilkinson, Karen Dinsmore and Marguerite Modero congratulating then on being honored by Community Access Unlimited (CAU) at the organization’s 33rd Annual Gala Dinner Dance in Mountainside. They are joined by CAU Executive Director Sidney Blanchard. Richard Wilkinson was named Humanitarian of the Year. Karen Dinsmore, Assistant Director of the Union County Department of Human Services, received the Public Leadership Award. Marguerite Modero received the Ira Geller Award. For more information about CAU, a multi-faceted, human services agency that provides support services for at-risk youth and people with disabilities, please visit www.caunj.org.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County –Spaces are still available for Maximizing Your Business with the Internet a new Union County Means Business program. The event will take place on October 30th from 8:00-10:00 a.m. at Union County Performing Arts Center’s Hamilton Stage in Rahway. Featuring Tara Dowdell, former “Apprentice” contestant and Founder of the Tara Dowdell Group, the program will cover topics like ecommerce, internet marketing and website development.

“Ms. Dowdell was a featured speaker at our 1st annual Union County Women Mean Business Summit in June,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Her session on Social Networking was one of our most popular and demand for her return has been high. We hope that this session will allow people to gain further insight from Tara, and give them the opportunity for additional time to ask direct questions.”

In addition to her “Apprentice” fame, Dowdell is a respected television commentator and speaker.  She appears weekly on CNN, the Fox News Channel, and the Fox Business Network where she provides progressive insight and analysis on a range of political, government, and business topics.  She can also be seen and heard regularly on MSNBC, Fox 5’s “Good Day New York,” and My9’s “News at 10 p.m.”

The UCMB series is open to all interested parties, specifically people who own or manage a business in Union County, or who are planning to start a business in Union County. It is designed to bring local business owners, prospective owners and managers in contact with government representatives who can help them obtain information about grants, loans, social media, employee recruitment, and other resources pertinent to their endeavors.

All sessions are free but pre-registration is required by visiting the Union County website athttps://ucnj.org/UCMeansBusiness or call 908-527-4200.

UCMB Programs are sponsored by the Board of Chosen Freeholders 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.

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For the second year in a row, students from Abraham Clark High School in Roselle pitched in to repair fences, spread mulch, and remove invasive plants and litter at the native shoreline restoration project at the lake in Warinanco Park. Union County Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (far l.) and Sergio Granados (far r.) stopped by to lend a hand and thank the students for their community service. Warinanco Park shares many elements with Central Park and other historic public parks created by renowned landscape designer Frederick Olmsted and his sons. For more information about events and programs in Union County parks visit ucnj.org/parks or call 908-527-4900. (photo: County of Union/Betty Ann Kelly)

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

Union County – As Union County continues to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the Board of Chosen Freeholders recently announced that the County has been awarded $2.8 million dollars as part of the Sandy Homeowner/Renter Assistance Program.

“The effects of Hurricane Sandy have been long lasting, not just structurally but economically” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “We are grateful for the allocation of these funds and hope that they will bring some extra relief to for the residents who are still struggling to pick up the pieces.”

The State grant program will provide eligible households with up to $15,000 in total assistance for paying retroactive/current mortgage, rent and utility payments, and the purchase of essential furnishings or appliances.

In order to be eligible for the program, and individual or family must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible alien.
• Household members must be legally or blood related.
• Have a financial distress directly related to housing which is the direct result of Hurricane Sandy.
• Not be currently receiving or eligible for Work First New Jersey/SSI Emergency Assistance.

Carter and her colleagues on the board recently authorized the release of $500,000 of the money to pre-authorized agencies, to speed up the process of disseminating the funds to eligible residents.

The agencies who will handle the day-to-day application and screening of applicants, as well as the disbursement funds are Cranford’s Catholic Charities, Homefirst in Plainfield, and the Urban League in Elizabeth.

For additional information contact one of the above-listed agencies directly.

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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.