Please be advised, Union County Mosquito Control will be spraying for mosquitoes tonight, Thursday, August 11, 2022, between the hours of 7:00 P.M. and 12:00 A.M. (Weather Permitting). Check below and see if your Town is on the list. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mosquito Control: 908-654-9873
Berkeley Heights – Roger’s Ave., Ralph Pl., Apple tree Row, Hilltop Ave., Emerson Ln., Brookside Ln. Cedar Ln., Water Ln. Beechwood Ln., Elm Pl., Janet Ln. Area, Archer Ln., Green brook Rd., Fern way
Clark – Conger Way, Schwinn Dr., Stonehedge Ter., Sweet Briar Dr.
Cranford – Arnet Pl., Park Ave., Waverly Pl.
Fanwood – Russell Rd., Willougby Rd.
Hillside – Hillside Ave.
Kenilworth – Dorset Dr., Water Co. Rd., Blvd (County Yard). Epping Dr.
Linden – Tremley Point Area, E. Curtis St. Area, Union St., McCandless St.
New Providence – Division Ave.
Plainfield – Berkeley Ter., E. Second St., Jefferson Ave., Rock Ave.
Despite the occasional thunderstorm, rain has been in short supply in Union County over the past several weeks. Gardens are wilting under dry conditions, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has declared a statewide drought watch. Union County gardeners can take steps to sustain their plantings through cycles of storm and drought by focusing on hardy native species and water conservation.
“Drought-wise gardens can help avoid the cost of high-maintenance plantings and save on water bills, while also attracting birds, butterflies and other beneficial pollinators. They can also help prevent excess stormwater runoff and flooding during heavy rains,” said Union County Commissioner Chair Rebecca L. Williams.
During dry periods, hardy native plants, shrubs and trees help to conserve water and reduce the need for yard care chemicals. They also contribute to a more diverse and healthful ecosystem.
Union County’s free downloadable guide to planting native species, Plant This, Not That, is available online at ucnj.org/green-connection/gardens.
Native plants and shrubs can also be deployed in specialized rain gardens to help reduce ponding and flooding during heavy rains. A rain garden bed is created with soils that enable more water to seep naturally into the ground, helping to sustain the garden bed during dry periods.
Rain barrels are another strategy that enables gardeners to “bank” water during rainy periods, for later use. For guidance on installing rain barrels, visit the Rutgers Water Resources Program online at water.rutgers.edu.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also provides general guidance on water conservation for property owners, including taking steps to ensure that any in-ground irrigation systems are working efficiently. For more details visit epa.gov/watersense.
Gardeners who are interested in seeing photos of local rain gardens in Union County can visit the “Rain Gardens of Union County” biodiversity project online at the Rutgers New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station.
To see local rain gardens in person, visit Union County’s Trailside Nature and Science Center, located in the Watchung Reservation at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside. Trailside is participating in the Rutgers biodiversity project. The facility hosts two sets of rain gardens designed by staff of the Rutgers Water Resources Program and funded by a NJDEP grant, for a total of five gardens in all.
The five gardens are located between the Trailside parking lot and the Scout Camping Area. Working together as a system, they enable storm runoff from the parking lot and other paved surfaces to seep into the ground, and to feed a nearby stream. The gardens also help prevent storm runoff from damaging a nearby hiking trail.
The grounds of Trailside are open to the public every day from dawn to dusk, as with all Union County parks. The Trailside building is open free of charge from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every day except Mondays and holidays. More details about programs and activities at Trailside are available at ucnj.org/trailside.
For quick links to all environmental services of Union County, visit the Green Connection at ucnj.org/green-connection.
More than 90% of Union County is currently classified as experiencing moderate drought conditions by the National Integrated Drought Information System. To check on local conditions use the zip code search engine at drought.gov.
For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.
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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.
Union County’s annual Family Flix and Summer Arts series of free outdoor movies and concerts continues in August with three events on August 9, 10 and 17.
“As the summer comes to a close, we welcome everyone to enjoy free entertainment and family-friendly activities in our Union County parks,” said Board of Commissioners Chair Rebecca L. Williams.
The final installment of the 2022 Family Fun & Flix series will be a screening of Sing 2 tonight, Tuesday August 9, at Warinanco Park in Roselle.
The event includes a family-friendly dance party beginning at 7:30 p.m., and the movie will begin at dusk.
The last two concerts in the 2022 Summer Arts series will take place at Oak Ridge Park in Clark as follows:
August 10: Dead On Live — A note-for-note celebration that recreates important and beloved periods in the Grateful Dead’s long and illustrious, and stylistically diverse career, with plenty of jamming and improve in keeping with Grateful Dead spirit.
August 17: Pink Floyd USA Experience — This riveting performance draws from five iconic albums — Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall — with award winning light, laser and multimedia effects.
All Summer Arts concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. with a free yoga session welcoming to all, followed by the concert beginning at 7:30 p.m.
For all events in Union County parks, attendees are advised to follow Union County on social media or visit the County website at ucnj.org in case of weather related cancellations.
More information about activities and programs of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation is available online at ucnj.org/parks, by email at parksinfo@ucnj.org, or by phone at 908-527-4900.
For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.
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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.
Please be advised, Union County Mosquito Control will be spraying for Mosquitoes tonight, Thursday, August 4, 2022, between the hours of 7:00 P.M. and 12:00 A.M. (Weather Permitting). Check below and see if your Town is on the list. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mosquito Control office.
Berkeley Heights – Roger’s Ave., Ralph Pl., Apple tree Row, Hilltop Av., Emerson Ln., Brookside Ln.
Cedar Ln., Water Ln. Beechwood La., Elm Pl., Janet Ln. Area, Archer Ln., Green brook Ln., Fern way
Industrial Ave., Wilson Ave., Harrison Ave., Webster Ave., Nancy Pl.
Clark – Lefferts Ln., Terhune Rd., Whitley Ter., Kennedy Dr., Ridge Rd., Hilltop Av., Oak Ridge RD.,
Featherbed Ln., Parkway Dr.
Elizabeth – Cross Ave., Aline St., Kilsyth Rd., Durant St., Front St.
Volunteers with the Master Tree Steward program educate students about trees and organize special projects, such as creating “Tree Trails” that enable visitors to identify distinctive trees in Union County parks. Pictured here is a European Beech along a Tree Trail in Echo Lake Park, in Mountainside. Photo credit: County of Union, NJ.
Learn how to help the environment and teach about the importance of trees – no experience necessary.
Union County residents who are looking for a fun and rewarding civic service project can join the 4-H Master Tree Steward program and learn how to “speak for the trees.” Master Tree Stewards are community volunteers who visit 4th grade classrooms each spring to present an interactive lesson on trees. No experience is needed. All training and classroom materials are provided by the Master Tree Steward program.
Master Tree Stewards can also organize additional projects, such as the educational “Tree Trails” in Union County parks.
“Our Master Tree Stewards provide students with enriching educational experiences and important messages about trees and the environment. It’s a lesson about appreciation and stewardship that young people can carry into adulthood, benefitting our community and the world beyond for years to come,” said Union County Commissioner Chair Rebecca L. Williams.
Each fall, the Master Tree Steward program offers a series of training sessions, consisting mainly of guided walks in nearby parks and nature reserves. Easy reading assignments, indoor classes and a simple project are also part of the program. The entire program, including a tree identification guide, is covered by a $25.00 administrative fee.
Applicants who complete the series obtain a Master Tree Steward certificate and are qualified to teach lessons about trees to 4th grade classrooms in the spring. The program provides a complete lesson plan along with posters, seeds and other supplies.
The 2022 fall training series will meet every Wednesday from September 7 to December 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., except for any holiday that falls on a Wednesday.
The 4th grade classroom visit schedule takes place on Wednesdays from January to June. Certified Master Tree Stewards are requested to choose 4-6 dates for their visits. Each visit takes approximately one hour, typically from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
To apply, fill out the downloadable application form on the Union County website, at ucnj.org/rce. A check for $25.00 should be made out to “Union County 4-H Association.”
Mail the form and check to Union County 4-H Agent James Nichnadowicz, Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Ave East, Westfield, NJ 07090-1426.
For more information, or to receive an application form by mail, contact James Nichnadowicz at 908-654-9854 (ext.3), or jnichnadowicz@ucnj.org.
A list of Tree Trails in Union County parks is available here.
The Master Tree Steward program is run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, as part of a statewide program under the umbrella of the Rutgers New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station. For information on all Extension programs in Union County, including Master Gardeners, Environmental Stewards and 4-H clubs for youth, visit ucnj.org/rce.
For quick links to all environmental programs and activities in Union County, visit The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connect.
For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.
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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.
Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi announces that ballot position drawing for the November 8, 2022 General and School Board Elections will be both in-person and live-streamed on Facebook.
“Social media provides a way to ensure that voters, and the general public, can observe the ballot position drawing process,” said Ms. Rajoppi.
The ballot drawing will be held on Monday, August 15 at 3:00 p.m. at the Union County Courthouse, at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth. A link to the livestream will be posted prior to the drawing.
“The mid-term elections are being held this year, with the House of Representatives topping the ballot. Elections for the County Surrogate, Board of County Commissioners and local offices will be on the ballot, along with School Board positions,” Ms. Rajoppi said.
For more information on voting in Union County elections, including how to apply for a Vote-by-Mail ballot, visit the County Clerk’s Elections Division online at unioncountyvotes.com or call 908-527-4996.
For more information about all County Clerk programs and services, visit ucnj.org/county-clerk or call 908-527-4787.
For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.
The Union County Board of County Commissioners advises residents that the County’s free COVID-19 vaccination program is expanding to offer the Novavax vaccine, approved for ages 18 and older.
The Union County vaccination program also continues to offer the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines approved for various age groups including infants age 6 months and up.
“Since the beginning of the outbreak, the Commissioner Board has made it our priority to bring new resources to Union County residents as soon as they are available. We are constantly updating our vaccination program to cover newly approved vaccines, and we continue to encourage everyone to get vaccinated and stay up to date on their booster shots,” said Union County Commissioner Chair Rebecca L. Williams.
The Novavax vaccine has been approved for ages 18 years and older. The Union County vaccination program will provide it in a two-dose series, given 21 days apart, as advised by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
Novavax, along with other COVID-19 vaccines, will be provided at two Union County clinics beginning on Thursday, August 4 as follows:
Warinanco Sports Center, 1 Park Drive at Warinanco Park in Roselle:
On Thursdays, the Warinanco clinic provides all vaccines and booster formulations for all age groups. The hours of operation are 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
On Tuesdays, the Warinanco clinic is open only for ages 6 months to five years to receive the Pfizer (6 months to 4 years) or Moderna (6 months to 5 years) formulations. The hours of operation on Tuesdays are 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Plainfield High School, 950 Park Avenue in Plainfield:
On Saturdays, the Plainfield High School clinic provides all vaccines and booster formulations. The hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Saturday is the only day of operation for this clinic).
To make an appointment for a vaccination at either the Warinanco or Plainfield clinics, create an account or log into an existing account through Union County’s vaccination portal, ucnj.org/covid19. If additional assistance is needed call 908-613-7829.
Walk-ups for booster shots for all eligible age groups are welcome at both the Warinanco Sports Center and Plainfield High School sites, but appointments are encouraged.
Home-bound residents may be eligible for a home vaccination visit. To make an appointment, call the Union County Office of Health Management at 908-613-7829 during regular weekday business hours, or leave a call-back message after hours.
For details about Union County’s mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics and other resources visit ucnj.org/covid19.
For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.
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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.
The Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to announce that applications for the 2023 Union County History Re-Grant Program for Special Projects and General Operating Support are now available online. All eligible non-profit organizations in Union County are invited to apply.
Applicant organizations must be based in Union County, and the programming covered by the grant must take place in Union County during 2023.
“The Re-Grant Program has been a valuable source of funding that enables nonprofits in our community to continue offering educational activities and enriching experiences to our community. I encourage every eligible non-profit to apply,” said Union County Commissioner Chair Rebecca L. Williams.
Applications must be submitted online to the Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, a division of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation. To begin the application process and to create an account, request the link to the application portal by emailing John Prescott, History Programs Coordinator, at jprescott@ucnj.org
The application deadline is Monday, September 19 at 11:45 p.m.
Eligibility requirements, application components, and other pertinent details are outlined in the complete General Operating Support (GOS) and Special Projects (SP) guidelines.
The Re-Grant Program includes two types of grants:
General Operating Support (GOS) grants provide assistance for the basic costs of operation such as programming, preservation of collections, salaries, marketing, and more. Funding is available to Union County based historical societies, house museums or historic sites only. The maximum GOS grant request is $7,500.
Special Project (SP) grants support history organizations, museums, schools, libraries and similar organizations with collections or programming relating to Union County and New Jersey state history. The maximum grant request is $5,000.
Funding for the History Re-Grant program is provided by the New Jersey Historical Commission. For clarification, assistance, or questions about applying, please contact John Prescott, History Programs Coordinator, at 908-436-2912 or by email at jprescott@ucnj.org
For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.
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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.
The Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to announce that applications to the 2023 Local Arts grant program (LAP) are now being accepted by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, a division of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation.
“Union County’s Local Arts grant program helps the organizations in our community sustain their operations and continue to bring high-quality programming to our residents, and it also enables other organizations to provide arts programming. We encourage eligible organizations to apply,” said Commissioner Chair Rebecca L. Williams.
Qualifying non-profit arts organizations can apply, as well as libraries, schools, and local government offices.
Two types of grants are available under the LAP program:
General Operating Support grants are available to arts organizations. The maximum request is $12,000.
Special Project grants are available to both arts organizations and non-arts organizations producing an arts project, such as a performance series. The maximum request $6,000.
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be based in Union County, and arts activities must take place in Union County during 2023. Grants will be awarded to applicants that demonstrate a high degree of professionalism in arts programming.
Full details, including eligibility requirements, application components and other information, are outlined in the complete LAP Guidelines.
All application materials must be submitted online by September 21, 2022 through the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs grant portal.
To obtain the link to the grant portal and begin the application process, applicants must first send the name of their organization by email to Martha Sturm, LAP Grant Coordinator, at msturm@ucnj.org and culturalinfo@ucnj.org. Use both email addresses to ensure a timely response.
For questions about the LAP grant program, contact Martha Sturm at 908-558-2552 or msturm@ucnj.org.
Funding for this grant program is provided by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner of the National Endowment for the Arts.
For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.
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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.
The Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to announce that applications for the 2023 Union County HEART Grant program are now available for Union County non-profit organizations, individual artists and scholars. Projects related to local history, the arts and humanities are eligible for consideration in the HEART Grant funding program.
“We created the HEART Grant program in 1998 to help foster a thriving environment for the arts and cultural activities in Union County, and the program has received an enthusiastic response ever since. We are looking forward to another exciting season of programming that reaches thousands of residents with enriching new experiences that enlighten, educate and entertain,” said Commissioner Chair Rebecca L. Williams.
The HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) program serves as a catalyst for Union County’s non-profit organizations, artists and scholars, enhancing their ability to connect residents with programs and activities.
Along with civic groups and cultural organizations, past HEART Grant recipients have included individual poets and writers, historians, painters, photographers, musicians, dancers and more.
Organizations can request a grant of up to $3,000, with a 25% cash match for any amount over $1,000.
Individuals can request up to $1,000, with no cash match required.
All projects funded under the HEART Grant Program must directly benefit Union County residents and increase appreciation for Union County history, the arts and humanities, demonstrating that cultural assets are a vital part of community life, education and wellbeing, economic development and cultural heritage tourism.
Activities must take place in 2023 between January 1 and December 31 to be considered for funding. All applicants must be Union County residents or Union County based non-profit organizations with programs taking place in Union County.
The application deadline is October 18, 2022.
The HEART Grant program is administered by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation.
For more information about all Cultural and Heritage Affairs programs call 908-558-2550 (NJ Relay users dial 711).
For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.
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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.
