Author: Web Site Administrator

The Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal announces that summer lifeguard positions are available at Union County’s two public swimming pools, Ulrich Pool in Rahway and Wheeler Pool in Linden. Applicants must have current lifeguard certification. Starting pay is $10 per hour, up to 30 hours per week. Please call 908-298-7849 for more information about the lifeguard positions.

The Walter E. Ulrich Memorial Pool is located in Rahway River Park, St. George’s Avenue in Rahway. The John Russell Wheeler Memorial Pool is located in Wheeler Park, West Stimpson Avenue and Route 1 in Linden.

Swimming lessons will be held at Ulrich Pool beginning Monday, July 1. Applications are available at either pool office for all ages, beginners through adults. Pre-registration is required. Register early; classes are limited and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Open Swim Sessions for Seniors (62 and older) and for People with Disabilities are held at Ulrich Pool on Mondays from 6-8 p.m. and at Wheeler Pool on Wednesdays from 12 noon-1:00 p.m. Admission to these special sessions is free.

The Ulrich and Wheeler pools are a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. For more information about special programs, discount cards, group swim lessons, directions or other questions, visit the website: www.ucnj.org/pools or call the Ulrich Pool (732-382-9457) or the Wheeler Pool (908-862-0977) for recorded information.

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Union County, NJ –The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders recently announced the launch of a new prescription drug discount program designed to help reduce prescription drug costs. The program, run in conjunction with ProAct- a subsidiary of Kinney Drugs, operates through the use of a discount card that will be mailed to Union County households later this week.

“This is a great program that the Freeholder Board is happy to support,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter, “ In these trying economic times we recognize that any type of financial savings are beneficial to our residents.”

The discount program may help reduce prescription drug costs for residents who do not have a prescription drug plan and for residents who take prescription medicine that is not covered by their current insurance. For senior citizens, the program can help defray costs related to the Medicare prescription coverage gap in which Medicare recipients are required to pay 100 percent of their prescription drug costs.

There are no enrollment forms to fill out, no membership fees, and no age or income requirements. There is no cost to Union County or participating residents. The cards are completely anonymous and one card can be used by an entire family.

Participants simply present the card when they are filling a prescription and they will automatically receive savings. The discount program covers all prescription medications, brand or generic. The program even covers prescription pet medications that can be filled at a regular retail pharmacy.

On average, participants can expect to save 10 to 20 percent on brand drugs and 20 to 70 percent on generic drugs. The prescription discount card can be used at any participating pharmacy in Union County and at over 55,000 pharmacies nationwide.

The cards cannot be used in conjunction with any other type of insurance, to reduce co-pays or with other discount programs.

For more information on the program or where to obtain additional cards, please contact Union County’s Department of Human Services at 908-527-4808.

ProAct is a subsidiary of Kinney Drugs, a healthcare company headquartered in Gouverneur, N.Y. The ProAct discounts are made possible through negotiated rates with participating locations.  For a list of participating pharmacies, contact ProAct at 877-776-2285 or visit www.NJRxDiscountCard.com.

Cards are being mailed to all households in Union County. Additional cards are available at County offices and by clicking here.

Union County Freeholder Dan Sullivan (center) with veteran Finance Department employees, l. Frank Padusniak, Comptroller, and r. Joseph Bowe, Director of the Division of the Treasurer, celebrating their planned retirements later this year.

UNION, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the 2013 Teen Arts Touring Exhibit is on display at the Union Center National Bank, located at 2003 Morris Avenue in Union. It will be on display through July 8th during regular bank hours.

The exhibit consists of 55 pieces of art selected from more than 650 visual art works shown at the 2013 Union County Teen Arts Festival held in March at Union County College. The annual event is administered by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Department of Parks and Community Renewal.

“The artwork in this exhibit is exceptional.  The fact that the artists are teenagers makes the show even more outstanding,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “I encourage everyone to get out and see this fun, lively exhibit as it goes on tour throughout Union County.”

For information about the Teen Arts program contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth 07202; telephone (908) 558-2550. NJ Relay service users should call 711 or email: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

2013 TEEN ARTS EXHIBIT – The exhibiting students are:

Berkeley Heights
Columbia Middle School
Alice Gao
Governor Livingston High School
Michael Horwath

Clark
Mother Seton RHS
Nathalia Palacios

Elizabeth
Abraham Lincoln School
Evelyn Huiloti
Benedictine Academy
Angie Mery
Charles Hudson School
Isidra Alvarado Vasques
Dr. Orlando Edreira School
Jezebel Jimenez
Elizabeth HS – Dwyer House
Jefferson Torres
Elizabeth HS – Edison House
Robert McCall
Elizabeth HS – Hamilton Academy
Evelyn Lopez
Elizabeth HS – Jefferson House
Chrysthel Jean-Louis
David Simancas
Cindy Montalvo
Elizabeth HS – Lower Academy
Yilian Borroto
Elizabeth HS – Upper Academy
Nicole Capelo
Sung Soon DeSouza
Elmora School
Jayline Rodriguez
Louveture-Lafayette School
Katuiska Zuniga
Mabel G. Holmes School
Santiago Hoyos
Nicholas M. Butler School
Ramon Rivera
Nicholas S. LaCorte School
Oscar Heredia
T.C. Reilly School
Eqequiel Carvalo
William F. Halloran School
Harmonie Garcia
Woodrow Wilson School
Irene Negron

Hillside
Hillside HS
Kameron Kee
Walter O. Krumbiegel MS
Samantha Felipe

Kenilworth
David Brearley HS
Erick Soriano
Melissa Dudukvich

Linden
Linden HS
Adrianna Rendon
Kylie Vorob
McManus MS
Kara Depczynski
Soehl MS
Nicholas Francisco

Mountainside
Deerfield MS
Isabella DiCosmo

New Providence
New Providence HS
Adrienne Cirotti
Christie Shaw
New Providence MS
Licheng Yang

Plainfield
Cook School
Fritz Mersola
Plainfield Academy of Arts
Sebastian Nunez
Gabrielle Lugbauer
Plainfield HS
Erika Jackson
Union County TEAMS Charter School
Gabrielle Labady
Stephany Vargas

Roselle
Abraham Clark HS
Zulis Linares
Ti-Reece Vaughn
Grace Wilday Jr. HS
Agape DeLeon

Scotch Plains
Union County Vo-Tech HS
Bre’on Johnson
Austin McCaffrey

Summit
Oratory Preparatory School
Alex McDonald

Union
Union HS
Wislet Dazime
Armando Flores

Westfield
Hillcrest Academy South
Kadeem Venus
Lamberts Mill Academy
Genesis Malacara

Winfield
Winfield School
Corey Hallari

Union County Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (L), Vernell Wright and Mohamed Jalloh (R) present a resolution to Union Police Sgt. Robert J. Christie commending him and the Union Township Police Department for their commitment to the disabled residents through their support of a campaign to prevent unlawful parking in spaces reserved for people with disabilities. They are joined by Charles Newman from the Union County Office for the Disabled.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

ELIZABETH, NJ—Citing a combination of increasing efficiency in the way employees are utilizing their healthcare benefits and greater network discounts offered through the County’s healthcare vendor, the Union County Freeholder Board voted to renew its contract with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey to provide the County of Union with health and prescription coverage at a savings of $2.2 million

The renewal begins on July 1st this year and runs for a year, and is approximately a 4.1 percent decrease over the previous contract year. The reduction is a budgetary savings for the County, and a savings for employees in their premium cost. It also bucks the trend of increasing healthcare costs over the past decade.

“This is great news and is a win-win situation for our budget and for our employees who will pay less,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Our renewal negotiations have paid off, and our provider has stepped forward to the plate with a good deal for Union County.”

Administrative Services Director Matt Di Rado noted the County has worked with its employees and Unions in a number of areas to economize on its healthcare costs and implement wellness programs. Some of the steps include:

• A week-long wellness fair held at different locations for all County employees;
• The creation of an Executive Wellness Committee that communicates health topics/programs between management, Union representatives, employees, the healthcare contractor and administrators;
• The creation of a popular Weight Watchers program;
• The distribution of newsletters and Countywide employee emails on wellness matters and health care tips;

Additionally, Di Rado noted that in 2013, Summit Medical Group—one of the County’s largest employers—joined the Horizon network, which has had a positive impact on claims. In other areas, costs are also being driven down as the County encourages employees to utilize both generic drugs and filling prescriptions through the mail. Contracts are also being negotiated with bargaining units to provide concessions to drive more employees in network, which will continue to save costs in the future, he added.

A recent article in the New York Times (“Slowdown in Health Costs’ Rise May Last as Economy Revives” May 6, 2013) stated major new studies from researchers at Harvard University, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and elsewhere have concurred that  healthcare costs are beginning to slow down, and at least some of the slowdown is unrelated to the past recession, and might persist as the economy recovers.  The article also noted that there could be some variability as provisions from the Affordable Care Act continue to kick in.

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Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski (R) speaks with Shirley Boyden Maxwell, president of the Kenilworth Historical Society,  outside the newly restored historic Oswald J. Nitschke House (c. 1880) at 49 South 21 Street in Kenilworth. The Kenilworth Historical Society hosted an “Open House” on June 15 in celebration of the Flag Day weekend. A major portion of the interior restoration work was carried out with the help of “Preserve Union County” grant funds. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski (C) looks at an Eastern Eyed Click Beetle Natalie Salinardo (L) of Cranford found during the 9th Annual Union County Bio-Blitz in Lenape Park in Cranford. They are joined by Karen Inzillo, a naturalist with the Union County Trailside Nature and Science Center. Bio-Blitz is a 24-hour sampling of the flora and fauna in a particular location with the twin goals of studying the biodiversity of the area and making the public aware of that diversity. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The exhibit will be on display until July 14 at Liberty Hall Center which is located at 1085 Morris Avenue in Union. Viewing times are from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright congratulates John Biel of Westfield on winning first place in the non-professional mixed media category

Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright (L) congratulates Eileen Bonacci of Berkeley Heights on winning first place in the professional mixed media category

Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright congratulates Henry Buntin of Berkeley Heights on winning first place in the non-professional acrylic category

Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright congratulates Richard Earl of Westfield on winning first place in the professional photography category and Best in Show

Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright (R) congratulates Donna Farrell of Linden on winning first place in the non-professional photography category and Best in Show

Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright (R) congratulates Roberta Frimpter of Rahway on winning first place in the non-professional drawing category

Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright (R) congratulates Lynn Shereshewsky of Westfield on winning first place in the non-professional craft category

Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright (L) congratulates Pauli Verridicci of Springfield on winning first place in the non-professional sculpture category

Union County, NJ – The Union County Rape Crisis Center is currently seeking volunteers to serve as advocates for victims of sexual assault. The volunteer advocacy program, which is run by the Union County Department of Human Services, has provided thousands of residents with support and guidance since its inception in 1984.

“This invaluable community service would not be possible without a network of dedicated volunteers, and the Freeholder Board is very proud of them,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Our volunteer advocates help guide victims through legal and medical systems while providing emotional support, respecting the strict confidentiality of each case.”

No previous experience in counseling is necessary. Volunteers at the Rape Crisis Center receive a thorough training course. Volunteers must also be age 18 or over and have their own transportation.

Volunteer Advocates most often provide guidance over the phone. In some cases, the Advocate may accompany a victim to the police station, hospital or courtroom.

Advocates may also offer support and guidance to family members, loved ones or friends, if requested by the victim.

The next volunteer recruiting sequence is currently under way, beginning with initial interviews for prospective volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, call the Union County Rape Crisis Center at 908-233-7273 to schedule an interview over the summer.

The training starts this fall for qualified volunteers. The course consists of two sessions per week from September 3 to October 31, from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. All sessions will be held at the County services building in Westfield, at 300 North Avenue East.

For more information about the Rape Crisis Center call 908-233-7273 or visit the Rape Crisis Center blog,unioncountyrapecrisiscenter.blogspot.com.