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ENJOYING THE GREAT OUTDOORS – Bio-Blitz 2012 will take place from 5 p.m. Friday, June 8, through 5 p.m. Saturday, June 9, in three sections of the Rahway River Parkway in Rahway, Clark, Winfield Park and Cranford. An outdoor, tented field lab and exhibit space in Rahway River Park, off St. Georges Avenue in Rahway, will serve as a base of operations. For more information, call 908-789-3683, or visit the Union County website: www.ucnj.org. (Photo by Gary Szelc).

Calling all bird watchers, frog fanciers, fish aficionados and nature lovers of all varieties! Here’s your chance to find the answer to that age-old question: “What’s going on out there?” From Friday evening, June 8, through Saturday evening, June 9, Union County offers nature lovers of all ages the opportunity to get up-close and personal with wildlife in their own “backyard” during Bio-Blitz 2012.

Beginning at 5 p.m. on June 8, the annual outdoor event will organize teams of volunteer plant and wildlife specialists to scour three sections of Union County’s Rahway River Parkway in Rahway, Clark, Winfield Park and Cranford in search of wildlife over a 24-hour period.

“Although the Rahway River Parkway is surrounded by suburban development, it is a perfect example of how green spaces can provide a haven for people and wildlife,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “The Bio-Blitz is a great opportunity for the community to learn more about the natural places that make Union County a special place to live.”

The primary purpose of Bio-Blitz 2012 is to gain a “snapshot” of the biodiversity in the 384-acre Rahway River Parkway. Another important goal of the event is to raise public awareness of the importance of parkland as wildlife habitat and outdoor classrooms.

An outdoor, tented field lab and exhibit space in Rahway River Park, off St. Georges Avenue in Rahway, will serve as a base of operations. Plant, fungi, insect, fish, bird, mammal, amphibian and reptile teams, and water monitors (along with amateur naturalists) will collect and identify species from three sections of parkland.

Free nature-related programs for all ages will be offered throughout the event, including evening programs from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m. on Friday, June 8; and from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 9. Free shuttle buses will be available to get participants to and from program sites. Programs will include: River & Lake Sampling; Owl Prowl; Wild Edible Plant Walk; Fungi Foray; Early Morning Birding, and more.

Bio-Blitz Bingo will offer younger “scientists” an opportunity to record their findings and enter a drawing to win nature-related prizes. A Junior Scientist tent will have young naturalists interacting with hands-on activities related to the natural environment. Union County’s Trailside Nature & Science Center staff also will be on-hand to offer guided walks and provide live animal exhibits.

Bio-Blitz 2012 is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal, Kean University and the Rahway River Association, with partial funding provided by PSE&G.

For more information or to receive a brochure, call 908-789-3683 and leave your email address, or visit the Union County website: www.ucnj.org. Brochures also will be available at Trailside Nature & Science Center at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside.

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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.

The Union County Baseball Association invites young baseball players – boys and girls – ages 8 to 15, to register for its Summer Youth League baseball teams. This annual youth baseball program is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Union County Baseball Association, and the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal.

“Since 1945, Union County has offered opportunities for young ballplayers to strengthen their skills and have fun during the summer,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “The Summer Youth League continues this long tradition of providing coaches, umpires, shirts and baseball caps to boys and girls who enjoy participating in baseball games at Warinanco Park.”

All games during the Summer Youth League are played in Warinanco Park, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The games are coached and supervised by Union County Baseball Association staff.

Sign-ups for the summer league will be held at the Warinanco Park Boat House in Roselle on Saturdays June 2, 9, 16 and 23, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon each day. All those who register will participate in play.

Each player is required to bring a $25 registration fee and a birth certificate to the sign-up. Players must be at least 8 years old by June 22 and cannot be 16 before August 1.

The Summer Youth League is divided into three divisions: a Teen League for 13, 14 and 15-year-olds; a Major League for 11 and 12-year-olds; and a Minor League for 8, 9 and 10-year-old players. Registered players will be notified about Team Assignment Day and the first day of play. There will be no refunds after Team Assignment Day.

An awards picnic will be held on Friday, August 3, to mark the end of the Summer Youth Baseball League. For more information call 908-917-2523, or visit the Union County Baseball Association Website at www.ucba-nj.org.

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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.

The Academy for Information Technology, one of five high schools at the Union County Vo-Tech Schools campus on Raritan Road in Scotch Plains.       (photo: Union County Vo-Tech Schools)

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that three schools at the Union County Vo-Tech campus have earned a place in the 2012 Newsweek list of top high schools in the country.

“This is another well-deserved testimony to the spirit of learning that runs consistently throughout the Vo-Tech Schools campus,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I wish to congratulate the students, teachers, staff and families on a job well done.”

“We encourage our students to think of themselves as valued members of their community,” said Dr. Thomas J. Bistocchi, Superintendent of the Vo-Tech Schools district. “That sense of engagement carries through to the classroom, and the result is an enthusiastic, active student body.”

For its survey, Newsweek ranked the top 1,000 schools using academic criteria such as graduation rates and college acceptances.

Union County Vo-Tech’s Magnet High School was ranked #102, the Academy for Information Technology was ranked #143, and the Academy for Allied Health Sciences was ranked #167.

The three schools also placed highly within the group of 44 New Jersey high schools in the top 500 of Newsweek’s list. Among these, Magnet was #5, Information Technology was #9, and Allied Health was #11.

Magnet High School, the Academy of Allied Health Sciences,  and the Academy for Information Technology were also recognized for excellence earlier this year by U.S. News & World Report, along with UC Tech High School.

A fifth school on the campus, the Academy for Performing Arts, was not included in either survey because it is a new school.

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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.

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – Basic Digital Photography, a class for adults, will be presented June 23
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside. Photographer Joan Pamboukes will explain focal length, aperture, shutter speeds, white balance, and basic lighting.
Bring a camera, tripod and manual. The fee is $45 for Union County residents; $55 for out-of-county participants. Pre-registration is preferred; walk-ins will be accommodated as space permits. For information call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Community Renewal invite adults, ages 18 and older, to learn the basics of  digital photography at a three-hour workshop on Saturday, June 23 at Trailside Nature & Science Center. The workshop runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The fee is $45 for Union County residents and $55 per person for out-of-county participants. Space is limited so pre-registration is required.

“This is a great opportunity to learn the basics of digital photography and how to enjoy your camera,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “The instructor, Joan Pamboukes, brings a wealth of experience as a teacher and professional photographer to this workshop.”

The June 23 workshop is ideal for anyone who wants to become more familiar with a single lens reflex digital camera or sophisticated point-and-shoot camera with manual settings. Joan Pamboukes will bring clarity to topics such as focal length, aperture, shutter speeds, and white balance. Composition and basic lighting strategies also will be addressed. Joan has been an art and photography instructor in Boston, New York and New Jersey. She currently teaches at The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey in Summit.

Participants are asked to bring their camera system, with a fully charged battery, the manual and a tripod, if possible. Weather permitting, the class will go outside to capture the splendor of summer in the Watchung Reservation and create some beautiful images. Otherwise, students will practice their new photography skills in the Trailside Visitor Center. By the end of the workshop, basic camera functions will no longer be a mystery.

For additional information about the Adult Beginners Digital Photography Workshop or other programs and upcoming events at Trailside call 908-789-3670 or visit www.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.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella presents resolutions to (from left) Lindsey Wilkinson, Carly Whitmer and Abigail Slaugh of the Fanwood-Scotch Plains Girl Scouts congratulating them on earning the Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting, during a ceremony in Fanwood. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

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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 Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella speaks with Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi about free honorable discharge identification cards for veterans during Union County’s Veterans Job Fair and Resource Event at the National Guard Armory in Westfield. The honorable discharge cards are available to veterans whose Certificate of Honorable Discharge and DD 214 forms are recorded at the Union County Clerk’s office. The card will include the book and page number where the veteran’s information is recorded to validate that the card holder is honorably discharged. It can assist veterans in receiving educational benefits, death benefits, licenses, local property tax rebates and discounts at big retailer box stores when presented with other identification.

The County Clerk’s Office in Westfield, located at 300 North Avenue East, is open from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 8 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday; and 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Saturday. The County Clerk’s Office in Elizabeth, located in the Union County Courthouse at 2 Broad Street, is open from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. If additional information is needed, please call 908-659-7403.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

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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 Angel G. Estrada (2nd R) and Bette Jane Kowalski (R) joined Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage and other officials at the ribbon cutting ceremony officially opening the Elizabeth River Trail. For more about the trail, visit www.groundworkelizabeth.com/river_trail. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

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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.

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ – The County of Union will sponsor a recycling event for electronic equipment and unwanted paper documents on Saturday, June 9, so Union County residents can get rid of unwanted computers, televisions and other electronic equipment, and shred old personal documents in a secure and environmentally proper manner.

The special recycling event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools, 1776 Raritan Road, Scotch Plains 07076.

All residents of Union County are eligible to participate at no cost. There is a limit of six electronic items and/or four bags/boxes of paper per car.

“Computer monitors and old televisions are the source of a considerable amount of lead – about five pounds per screen,” said Freeholder Christopher Hudak, liaison to the Union County Solid Waste Advisory Board. “Up to 95 percent of most electronic appliances can be recycled. This is a responsible way to keep hazardous heavy metals out of our environment.”

Electronic equipment that will be accepted on June 9 includes computer monitors, hard drives, modems, keyboards, CPU’s, mice, printers, scanners, speakers, televisions, VCR’s, fax machines, telephones, and circuit boards.

A complete list of the materials that will be accepted on June 9 is available at the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning website: www.ucnj.org/recycle. All that residents need to do is drive to the site with their electronic equipment and unwanted personal documents. Workers at the site will unload the vehicles. Pre-registration is not required for this collection.

Refrigerators, washers and dryers, microwaves, and air conditioners will not be accepted on June 9. These items will be accepted at Union County’s new scrap metal recycling program which is conducted twice each month in Clark, Mountainside, Rahway and Westfield. Visit the Union County website at www.ucnj.org/recyclefor more information about the new scrap metal recycling program.

The electronics collection will be held rain or shine, for Union County residents only and not for businesses. Proof of Union County residency is required.

In addition to the special June 9 electronics recycling event sponsored by the County of Union, there are other local opportunities for residents to recycle electronic equipment. Visit www.ucnj.org/recycle for more computer and electronics recycling options.

The June 9 paper-shredding event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine. The shredding event will end before 2:00 p.m. if the shredding truck reaches capacity.

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

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 Thursday, July 12, at Rahway River Park in Rahway.

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.

Union County- Tickets are still available for the Sensory Friendly Theater series, a combination of performances specially designed for children with autism and related disabilities at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway.

As part of Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella’s “Putting People First” initiative, the series is designed according to guidelines that help to reduce disturbances for youngsters who experience heightened sensory sensitivity.

Union County worked with Autism Friendly Spaces, LLC to design the series and Paper Mill Playhouse and the Children’s Specialized Hospital assisted in making the program possible.

The series of three performances includes Tom Chapin and Friends on June 10, Little Red Riding Hood and Other Stories presented by Pushcart Players on October 7, and Pinocchio presented by the New Jersey Ballet on November 4.  All seats are $8 per person and performances begin promptly at 2 p.m.

The Union County Performing Arts Center is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation operating in the historic Rahway Theatre.  Conveniently located in downtown Rahway at 1601 Irving Street, this historic landmark is the cornerstone of the Rahway Arts District. The theater is a beautifully restored 1920’s era former vaudeville house and movie palace owned by the County of Union and managed by the nonprofit Union County Performing Arts Center.

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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 at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

Union County Freeholder Angel G. Estrada (R) speaks with Elizabeth Fire Chief Tom McNamara (L) and Chaplain Msgr. Hugh O’Donnell at the Elizabeth Exempt Firemen’s Association’s annual memorial service for all of the city’s deceased firefighters on Memorial Day outside the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

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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.