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Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi is providing voters with two new videos that explain voting procedures for the 2022 midterm elections. Election Day 2022 is Tuesday, November 8.

“Voters have the ability to choose between different ways to cast their ballot. These videos are designed as a supplement to the written instructions provided on their ballot, in order to help voters understand the different processes and choose the one that works best for them,” said Ms. Rajoppi.

The two videos now available on the County Clerk’s website, unioncountyvotes.com and on the Union County Votes mobile app:

• Three Ways to Vote: Early voting, returning a Vote-by-Mail ballot, and voting on Election Day. 
• How to Vote by Mail: The correct procedure for filling out a Vote-by-Mail ballot.

For more information about the County Clerk’s election services visit unioncountyvotes.com or contact the Elections Division at 908-527-4996 or ucvote@ucnj.org.

For more information about all County Clerk programs and services, visit online at 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 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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The Union County Board of County Commissioners announced that the County of Union, in collaboration with local Senators, Mayors and other stakeholders, are exploring all available funding opportunities to best address the impact on County roads from end-to-end.

“Improving the quality of life in our neighborhoods is our top priority and having everyone on board will make all corners of Union County safer for our residents and more attractive and viable for investment and opportunity,” said Commissioner Chair Rebecca Williams.

The Route 28 corridor, specifically, crosses into Plainfield from Middlesex County and travels through several municipalities in Union County, ending in Elizabeth. The County of Union, with the help of several local dignitaries, will be working to address the current and projected future congestion, mobility and safety issues. 

“Working together allows us to take a proactive approach in managing and improving our most heavily trafficked corridor,” said Senate President Nicholas Scutari. “The Route 28 corridor is a critical network of roads which run through multiple towns across the center of the County. I look forward to working with the County of Union in a multi-modal approach to evaluate and mitigate the impacts of congestion.”

“Union County is thriving with the amount of housing and new businesses that are being constructed across our municipalities. However, we are aware that with these projects, there comes challenges with creating a safe, sustainable transportation corridor,” said Commissioner Bette Jane Kowalski, Union County Transportation Representative and Board Member of the NJTPA. “We plan to study and address issues with mobility, safety, and congestion countywide with particular attention being paid to the Route 28 corridor.”

“I would like to thank the County of Union for their willingness to hear our concerns and identify solutions to our traffic concerns,” said Cranford Mayor Kathleen Miller Prunty. “Easy to navigate and vibrant corridors are the cornerstone in making our towns a safe place to travel through, visit and live and we need to make sure that we are doing our part as leaders to ensure our roads continue to remain operational and well-managed.”

“New commerce and redevelopment is great for our towns. However, we know with added infrastructure, expansion and growth there will be concerns for traffic and the safety of our residents,” said Roselle Park Mayor Joseph Signorello, III. “And looking into additional funding to improve our roadways is a great step in ensuring our residents and visitors driving through Union County can continue to experience a safe and efficient travel system.”

For more information, please contact Transportation Planning Manager for Union County, Liza Betz, AICP PP, at ebetz@ucnj.org.

Residents can recycle their pumpkins for green energy.

Union County residents can put their Jack o’ Lanterns to good use after Halloween by participating in Union County’s Pumpkin Recycling Program, which returns this November after being a smash hit last year.

The program is coordinated by Union County and municipal partners. The pumpkins will be sent to an organic waste recycling facility and transformed into green energy.

“The pumpkin recycling program is an easy, convenient way for Union County residents to support the renewable energy industry in our community,” said County Commissioner Chair Rebecca Williams. “The program also raises awareness about new opportunities to recycle food waste, instead of disposing it in landfills or incinerators.”

Three locations will be available for residents to drop off their pumpkins. Residents from any municipality in Union County can use any of these locations, regardless of their home town.

Residents can bring their program to any of three designated recycling locations between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., beginning on Tuesday, November 1.

The program will run every weekday, Monday through Friday except for holidays, until the end of November. The last day to drop off pumpkins will be Monday, November 28.

 The drop-off locations are:

• 101 Berkeley Avenue in Berkeley Heights (the Berkeley Heights Department of Public Works, next to the new Municipal Complex)
• 523 Trenton Avenue in Elizabeth (the Elizabeth Municipal Recycling Yard)
• 1300 Lamberts Mill Road in Westfield (the Westfield Conservation Center)

Only pumpkins will be accepted at these locations. Other food waste is not accepted. Candles and decorations must be removed.

The Pumpkin Recycling Program will send pumpkins to a processing facility in Elizabeth operated by the firm Waste Management. The company’s proprietary recycling system converts food waste into organic slurry, which is used to increase the output of biogas and other renewable products at municipal wastewater treatment plants.

Food waste is a global problem that contributes to excess greenhouse gas emissions while burdening local governments with waste disposal costs. In the U.S. alone, more than 52 million tons of food is displaced in the U.S. each year according to some estimates.

Traditionally, food waste is sent to landfills or burned in waste-to-energy facilities. New organic recycling systems provide a more sustainable way to manage food waste.

Union County residents can also help reduce food waste by using up leftovers, donating unused shelf items to food banks before their sell-by date expires, and starting a compost pile for vegetable scraps.

For more information about all Union County recycling programs and locations, visit the Bureau of Recycling and Planning website at ucnj.org/recycle or call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889.

To receive schedule alerts, and to stay up to date with both countywide and Union local recycling programs in Union County, download the free Recycle Coach mobile app.

Quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities, including guidance on composting at home, are available at The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connection.

For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing 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.

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Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi reminds voters that her offices in Elizabeth and Westfield will be open for extended hours on Saturday, November 5, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., for anyone seeking to obtain a Vote-by-Mail ballot for the 2022 General Election..

“The Saturday hours help ensure that everyone who applies for a Vote-by-Mail ballot can do so, without having to take time off from work or other weekday responsibilities,” said Ms. Rajoppi.

Voters who use the County Clerk’s One-Stop service can come to the Elizabeth or Westfield office, apply for their ballot, receive it, fill it out, and deposit it in a secure drop-box on site, all in the same visit. Privacy booths are located at the offices for voters to fill out their ballot.

The office locations and hours are:

Union County Courthouse

2 Broad Street, Room 113

Elizabeth

Regular hours: Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:30pm

Open Saturday, November 5, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm for Vote-by-Mail

Colleen Fraser Building

300 North Avenue East (Union County services complex)

Westfield

Regular hours:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 8:00am – 4:00pm; also open

Tuesday, Thursday: 8:00am – 7:30pm

Saturday: 9:00am – 1:00pm

For more information about Vote-by-Mail ballots and all other elections information visit the Union County Clerk’s elections website, unioncountyvotes.com or contact the office at 908-527-4996 or ucvote@ucnj.org.

For more information about all County Clerk programs and services, visit online at 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 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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Voters have four ways to return Vote by Mail ballots

The Union County Board of Elections reminds Vote-by-Mail Ballot voters to return their ballots on time.

“There are several ways to return your Vote-by-Mail ballots,” said Board of Elections Administrator, Nicole DiRado. “We encourage all VBM voters to return their ballots as soon as possible.”

Residents wishing to use Vote-by-Mail ballots can

• Secure Ballot Drop Box: There are 24 secure ballot drop boxes available to Union County Voters, with at least one in each town.  Ballots are picked up every day and returned to the Board of Elections for processing.  Ballots must be deposited into the drop by 8:00pm on Election Day.  For a complete list of drop boxes, check the Board’s website at www.ucnj.org/ucboe.
• United States Post Office (or third party delivery service): Voters can drop their ballot in the mail.  So long as the ballot is postmarked on or before Election Day and received within 6 days of election, the voter’s ballot will be canvassed. 
• In Person Delivery:  Ballots can be delivered in-person to the Union County Board of Elections.  The Board of Elections is open 8am – 4pm Monday through Friday.  The Board of Elections will have special openings on November 5 (9:00am – 2:00pm) and November 6 (10am – 2pm).  The Board will be open on Election Day from 6:00am to 8:00pm. The last time to deliver a ballot in-person is 8:00pm on Election Day.  Voters wishing to deliver their ballot in person must present a NJ Driver’s License or NJ-Issued ID.
• Bearer Delivery:  Voters can ask a trusted person to serve as a bearer of their ballot.  If a person other than the voter is returning a ballot, the bearer portion of the outer envelope must be completed by the bearer in the presence of the voter.  Bearers can deliver a maximum of 3 ballots.  However, a bearer may deliver up to 5 ballots for family members living in the same household.  In-person delivery of a bearer ballot requires the bearer to present a NJ Driver’s License or NJ-Issued ID.

For more information about returning your vote by mail ballot, early voting, your election day voting location or other important election matters, please contact the Union County Board of Elections:  908-527-4123 / ucboe@ucnj.org / www.ucnj.org/ucboe.

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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.

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With the approach of the holiday travel season, the Union County Board of County Commissioners invites parents and caregivers with infants and young children to visit the free Child Safety Seat Inspection Program on Thursday, October 27 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Union County Fire and EMS Training Academy campus in Linden.

“The free Child Safety Seat Inspection Program is one of our most popular County services. We encourage all parents and care givers to visit the program and have their seats checked, especially before holiday travel begins,” said Union County Commissioner Chair Rebecca L. Williams.

“Hundreds of drivers in Union County bring their car seats to the Safety Seat program every year. It’s free of charge, and it can make a real difference in the event of a collision,” said Commissioner Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded.

The Fire and EMS Training Academy is located at 1075 Edward Street, Linden. To access the Seat Inspection Program and parking lot, use the driveway entrance on Avenue C (heading south on Avenue C from Edgar Road, the driveway is just past the Extra Space Storage building on the right).

The inspection program is open to all parents and care givers, including non-residents as well as Union County residents. It is free of charge, and no appointment is needed.

At the inspection program, certified technicians who are trained through the organization SAFEKIDS Worldwide will be on hand to check child safety seats for proper installation. In the event adjustments are needed, they will explain how to install the seat correctly.

In addition to the special afternoon session on October 27, Union County’s Child Safety Seat Inspection Program is available throughout the year, free of charge, every Wednesday and Thursday morning from 7:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at the Garwood Rescue Squad, located at 401 2^nd Avenue in Garwood. No appointment is necessary.

The Child Safety Seat Inspection Program is a service of the Union County Commissioner Board, Union County Police Department and Garwood First Aid Squad, and is supported with funding from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety.

Union County also offers additional safety resources including the AAA CarFit program for seniors and bicycle helmet safety education.

For more information about the Safety Seat Inspection Program and other services visit online at ucnj.org/childseats or contact Christine Marcantonio, Traffic Safety Program Coordinator, by email at cmarcantonio@ucnj.org or by phone at 908-789-6830.

For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing 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.

Connect with Union County on social media.

Note: A video of on-location acceptance remarks by the awardees is available at this link: https://ucnj.org/press-releases/public-info/2022/10/06/video-presentation-2022-kids-recreation-trust-grant-and-2022-greening-union-county-grant/

The Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to announce that grants have been awarded to 19 municipalities for improvements to recreation resources for children, through the Kid’s Recreation Trust Fund. In addition, 18 municipalities were awarded matching grants for planting new trees through the Greening Union County program.

Both grant programs are funded through the Union County Open Space, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Trust Fund, with funds awarded to municipalities on a matching grant basis.

“The Open Space Trust Fund was established by popular referendum in 2000, and it reflects the importance that Union County residents place on nature conservation and recreation as well as local history. The Commissioner Board is very proud to continue administering the Trust Fund for the benefit of communities throughout Union County,” said Union County Commissioner Chair Rebecca L. Williams.

“These two grant programs help to improve the quality of life in our urban and suburban communities, by providing assistance to local recreation programs for children and by helping municipalities create beneficial treescapes that help clean the air and reduce erosion,” said Commissioner Alexander Mirabella, who is the Chair of the Commissioner Board’s Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund Board.

Since its inception in 2000 the Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund has enabled the Commissioner Board to add more than 315 acres of land to the Union County parks system, in addition to providing grants for local recreation programs, tree plantings, and historic site restoration.

Nineteen municipalities received funding from the Kids Recreation Trust fund:

• Berkeley Heights — $40,000.00. Replace the tennis and pickleball court lights and poles with LED lights and create a walking/biking path to connect Robbins and Lawrence Avenues. 
• Clark — $45,000.00. Repurpose a basketball court into three pickleball fields and upgrade the jungle gym area.
• Cranford — $60,000.00. Renovate the Hillside Avenue Tennis Courts, Lincoln Park beautification, and resurface various playground areas with rubber surfaces.
• Elizabeth — $150,000.00. Upgrades to Lynch Memorial Playground with the incorporation of new ADA equipment and a new spray park.
• Fanwood — $50,000.00. New playground equipment for LaGrande Park.
• Garwood — $35,000.00. Improvements to the Recreation Sport Complex including a new video security system, a shuffleboard court, and a picnic pavilion.
• Kenilworth — $50,000.00.Various improvements to the Borough’s parks and facilities.
• Linden — $65,000.00. Upgrade and make Milkosky Park ADA compliant.
• Mountainside — $35,000.00. Develop a new park on Mountain Avenue and New Providence Road, and updates the baseball and softball Fields at Deerfield School.
• New Providence — $35,000.00. Create a more accessible playground structure, bathroom building and picnic patio at Lions Park.
• Plainfield — $36,850.00. Resurface the basketball courts at Bryant Park.
• Rahway — $65,000.00. Rehabilitate and resurface the five tennis courts at Berzinec Park.
• Roselle — $50,000.00. Repair and resurface Pine Street Park and Chandler Street Park.
• Roselle Park — $45,000.00. Renovate Acker Park including new playground structures and ADA accessible features.
• Scotch Plains — $60,000.00. Equipment and new signage for various park locations.
• Springfield — $45,000.00. Rehabilitate the tennis courts and overlay new pickleball fields.
• Summit — $45,000.00. Rehabilitate and make Mabie Playground ADA compliant and sensory friendly.
• Union — $55,000.00. Playground equipment and improvements for Jerome Petti Park.
• Westfield — $36,477.23. Replacement of fencing and new equipment for the basketball courts at Windsor Park.
• Total: $1,003,327.23

Eighteen municipalities were awarded grants for planting trees under the Greening Union County program:

• Berkeley Heights — $4,000.00 (22 trees)
• Clark — $5,000.00 (20 trees)
• Cranford — $5,000.00 (25 trees)
• Elizabeth — $18,000.00 (150 trees)
• Garwood — $5,000.00 (20 trees)
• Hillside — $2,800.00 (16 trees)
• Kenilworth — $3,000.00 (30 trees)
• Linden –$8,000.00 (60 trees)
• New Providence — $2,255.00 (12 trees)
• Plainfield — $5,725.00 (55 trees)
• Rahway — $5,000.00 (35 trees)
• Roselle — $5,000.00 (70 trees)
• Roselle Park — $5,000.00 (50 trees)
• Scotch Plains — $3,750.00 (25 trees)
• Springfield — $4,000.00 (45 trees)
• Summit — $5,500.00 (100 trees)
• Union — $2,970.00 (11 trees)
• Westfield — $10,000.00 (100 trees)
• Total: $100,000.00

For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing 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.

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“On behalf of the Union County Board of County Commissioners, I would like to thank the Senate President and the State of New Jersey for providing us the funding for this much-anticipated project,” said Commissioner Chair Rebecca Williams. “Right now, we have a great facility in use, but it can only be used seasonally; with the construction of a new state-of-the-art indoor skating rink, we will be able to offer year-round use of the building, attracting even more visitors and leagues. I am looking forward to watching this rink come to life.”

In a contract to be awarded to USA Architects, the concept design for the new facility will feature a second sheet of ice increasing the capacity of the facility. The project for the new rink is slated to begin by the end of 2023 with an estimated completion date of 2025.

“We are proud to support a new skating rink that will serve communities throughout Union County,” said Senate President Scutari. “A year-round rink will provide more young hockey players and recreational skaters the opportunity to use a state-of-art facility for healthy and enjoyable activities. The Warinanco Sports Center will continue to be a premiere attraction for Union County.”  

Since 1961, area families have enjoyed the seasonal skating in the park — and in 2019 the skating building was renovated and renamed to the Warinanco Sports Center, which sits adjacent to the skating rink. The seasonal rink, which generally opens at the end of November is home to 8 Union County high school hockey teams and hosts more than 50,000 skaters every year.

“This is a real boost for families and young people in Union County who will now have a modern rink available throughout the year,” said Senator Joe Cryan. “The sporting events and recreational skating will be more accessible and more affordable for working families. The new Warinanco Center will be an active and important part of the Union County community.”

“As youth sports become more and more expensive, a new county facility will allow non-profits like the Cranford Hockey Club and many Union County high school boys and girls ice hockey programs to keep this sport affordable in the rapidly changing landscape of for-profit youth sports,” said Commissioner Sergio Granados. “Once completed, the Warinanco Sports Center will be even more of an attraction to residents and visitors, who come from all over to use the facility.”

“The creation of a new ice rink at Warinanco Park is a transformative moment for youth sports in Union County and North Jersey,” said Mike DuHaime, president of the non-profit Cranford Hockey Club. “The new rink will allow us to keep costs down for families, play more games here in Union County, and most importantly start a scholarship program, opening the doors for so many more children locally to play ice hockey, so cost will no longer be a barrier to access to the ice. The Cranford Hockey Club and the entire hockey community of Union County and beyond thank Senate President Scutari, Commissioner Williams, and the entire board of commissioners for their foresight and efforts in making this new rink a reality.”

Established in 1956, the Cranford Hockey Club is the oldest travel hockey club in the state of New Jersey. Nearly 300 children ages 5-18 are currently part of the club’s travel and learn-to-play programs.  Warinanco Park has been its home rink for decades, though due to increased demand, the teams hold some of its home games and practices elsewhere.  As a non-profit, the club is run solely by volunteers, including the board, coaches, and team managers. More information on the club’s scholarship program can be found at https://www.cranfordhockeyclub.com/scholarship

For more information about Warinanco Sports Center and Ice Skating Rink, please visit https://warinancopark.com/.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Union County residents and visitors are invited to explore the fascinating world of rocks, minerals, fossils, gems and jewelry at the Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside on Saturday, November 5 and Sunday, November 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on both days.  Admission to the event is free.

Trailside is part of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation. It is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside, in Union County’s Watchung Reservation. Ample free parking is available on the site.

“The show is a unique opportunity for Union County residents and visitors of all ages to learn about the world of rocks and gems,” said Union County Commissioner Chair Rebecca L. Williams. “Whether you’re a geology enthusiast or simply have a casual interest, there is something for everyone.”

A wide variety of specimens will be on display along with many items for sale, from child-friendly geodes, arrowheads and fluorescent minerals to jewelry, fine gems and collector-grade pieces.

Sponsored jointly with the New Jersey Mineralogical Society and the New Jersey Lapidary Society, the Mineral, Gem and Jewelry Show will host more than 20 vendors offering minerals, rocks, gemstones, jewelry, sea shells and fossils from around the world.

Trailside is open regularly on Tuesdays through Sundays except holidays, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free of charge. A modest fee applies to scheduled programs. For more information about all programs offered this fall at Trailside, call 908-789-3670 or visit ucnj.org/trailside.

Quick links to all programs and activities in Union County parks are available at ucnj.org/parks.

For information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing 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.

Connect with Union County on social media.