Category: Public Info

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September is National Preparedness Month

Union County, NJ – September is National Preparedness month, and with the season’s first coastal storms forming in the Atlantic Ocean, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders reminds residents to prepare now in case of extreme weather.

“Now is the time to take stock of your home or business, and ensure that you are prepared to keep safe in case of stormy weather,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

Forecasters are currently tracking Hurricane Florence. The storm is heading northward from Bermuda. It could take any one of several different pathways, from veering harmlessly out to sea or turning in to impact the US east coast.

Basic preparedness guidance includes assembling an emergency kit that provides for three to five days of supplies in case of interruption in electricity, water service, access to a supermarket or other local services.

Emergency kits should include non-perishable food and water, prescription medications, baby supplies and any additional items for special medical needs.

The kit should also include important phone numbers for doctors as well as cell phone chargers.

A battery-operated radio, flash lights, extra batteries as well as non-electric items likes can openers should also be included.

The needs of pets should also be taken into consideration when planning and making an emergency kit.

Staying aware of developing news is also vitally important. Residents are urged to sign up for Union County’s free alert system, First Alert, at ucnj.org/alerts, to receive automatic alerts and updates on their mobile devices and computers.

Residents without Internet access will receive alerts on their land line phones through the reverse 9-11 system.

For more guidance on emergency preparedness in Union County, visit ucnj.org/prepare.

In recognition of National Preparedness Month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has issued a series of detailed guidelines designed to help the public learn and practice emergency skills. Learn more at ready.gov/september.

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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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Reminder: Free Women’s Empowerment Event September 21

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is offering a free yoga program for women on Friday evening, September 21, at the Warinanco Sports Center in Roselle beginning at 6:00 p.m. and concluding at approximately 9:00 p.m. The event is open to women age 16 and older.

The program is part of a series of women’s empowerment events offered through the Union County Office on Women, part of the Division of Outreach and Advocacy in the Union County Department of Human Services.

The program includes a networking session, yoga and guided meditation. Attendees are asked to bring a donation of feminine hygiene products in support of the nonprofit organization “Girls Helping Girls. Period.”

All levels of experience are welcome. Attendees should wear comfortable clothing appropriate for yoga and bring their own mats.

The event is free, but space is limited. Pre-registration is required online at ucnj.org/womans-yoga.

For additional information contact Jennifer Erdos at jerdos@ucnj.org or 908-527-4216.

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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Fishing Derby for People with Special Needs to be held Saturday, September 22nd

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites residents to participate in the Fall Fishing Derby for People with Special Needs on Saturday, September 22^nd, at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside. This event is free of charge and runs from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

“This is a wonderful way to celebrate the last days of warmer weather in our parks,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “We invite residents young and old to come and enjoy the outdoors at this fun event.”

The Newark Bait and Fly Casting Club are co-sponsoring the fishing derby and will be providing a hot dog lunch as well as organizing contests. Prizes will be awarded to participants.

The fishing derby is open to all ages. Chairs and fishing poles will be provided but participants are welcome to bring their own. The rain date for this event is Sunday, September 23^rd from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p/m/

Pre-registration is required for this free event. To register or to learn about other events planned by the Office for People with Special Needs, visit www.ucnj.org/opsn-reg or call 908-527-4781.

The Office for People with Special needs partners with community centers, schools, colleges, YMCAs, businesses, support organizations and volunteer groups to present recreation programs at county facilities as well as locations in various municipalities. Programs are for ages five through adult.

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Union County Invites Residents to September 11th Memorial Honoring Residents Who Perished In 2001 Attacks

UNION COUNTY, NJ — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites members of the community to honor the memory of the 60 Union County residents who perished in the World Trade Center attack of 2001 by visiting the Union County September 11th Memorial on Tuesday, September 11 at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside.

The Memorial is open from the morning hours until 9:00 p.m. on September 11. Members of the Union County Sheriff’s Office will provide a uniformed Honor Guard standing watch at the memorial from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The public is invited to bring and light candles in memory of those lost in the attacks.

“Over the years, the September 11th Memorial has provided our residents with a communal place for quiet reflection. On this date, we honor and those who perished, we remember the many acts of bravery that occurred that day, and we resolve, now more than ever, to show our strength as a community,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

The Union County September 11th Memorial incorporates elements of design that include all three sites where lives were lost. Two girders recovered from the ruins of the World Trade Center are arranged within a five sided area representing the Pentagon, and an Eternal Flame represents those who died in Pennsylvania along with members of the Armed Services and emergency responders.

In addition to these elements, the names of the 60 deceased Union County residents are etched into the memorial.

Dedicated on Sept. 13, 2003 the memorial was constructed through private donations including in-kind work by labor unions and materials at cost.

The Freeholder Board worked with residents of Cranford, Elizabeth, Kenilworth, Linden, Mountainside, Rahway, Scotch Plains, Summit, Union and Westfield in planning and building the Memorial.

It is located near the Springfield Avenue entrance of Echo Lake Park on the border of Mountainside and Springfield.

For additional information on the Union County September 11th Memorial, visit online at ucnj.org/9-11-memorial.

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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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Gun Safety Activist Shannon Watts to Participate in Union County Gun Violence Awareness Event

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that nationally renowned gun safety activist Shannon Watts, founder of the national Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense organization, will participate in a free screening and discussion of the 2016 documentary film Making a Killing: Gus, Greed and the NRA in partnership on Wednesday, September 12, at 7:00 p.m. at the STEM Building auditorium at Kean University, 1075 Morris Avenue in Union Township.

Governor Phil Murphy’s Senior Advisor on Firearms, Bill Castner will also speak at the event, which is sponsored by the Freeholder Board in partnership with the non-profit organization Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in New Jersey.

The event is free but pre-registration is requested online at ucnj.org/making-a-killing-movie-screening.

“We need forceful national policies that promote safety for all communities, and Ms. Watts has been an effective and eloquent agent for change,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “I hope that people will come to the screening to learn, to ask questions, and to help create new pathways for reform.”

Making a Killing tells the stories of how guns affect the lives of everyday Americans. It features personal stories from people across the country who have been impacted by gun violence, including survivors and victims’ families involved in unintentional shootings, domestic violence, suicides, mass shootings and trafficking.

The film also focuses on the role of gun manufacturers in promoting a legislative environment that enables gun violence to continue in the US, far beyond levels experienced in other western democracies.

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in New Jersey is an affiliate of the national Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America organization founded by Ms. Watts in 2012, shortly after a gunman murdered 20 children ages six and seven, and six adult staff members, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

The organization quickly grew into a leading force for gun violence prevention, with chapters in all 50 states. Moms Demand Action is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country at more than four million supporters.

Making a Killing was produced by the film company Brave New Films. To see a trailer, follow the registration link or visit bravenewfilms.org/making_a_killing_guns.

For more information about the September 12 event contact Nathalie Hernandez, Coordinator, Union County Office of Community Engagement and Diversity at nahernandez@ucnj.org or 908-527-4880.

The Union County Office of Community Engagement and Diversity is part of Chairman Granados’s “Moving Union County Forward” initiative for individual empowerment, education and community service. More information about the office is available at ucnj.org.

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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.

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Be a “Green” Volunteer with the Master Tree Stewards of Union County

Union County, NJ – Union County residents are invited to join the Master Tree Stewards, a volunteer group with a mission of helping children and adults learn about the importance of trees in suburban and urban neighborhoods. No experience with trees – or teaching – is required. Master Tree Stewards are trained and guided by experienced staff of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, with support from the Freeholder Board. To join or get more information, contact Union County 4-H Agent James Nichnadowicz at the Extension offices in Westfield, 908-654-9854 (ext. 3) or jnichnadowicz@ucnj.org. For more details about the Master Tree Stewards and other Extension volunteer programs in Union County, visit online at ucnj.org/rce. Photo: Jim Lowney/County of Union.

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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.

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Free Union County World War I Film Festival Offered at Linden Library September 7 through November 2

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites residents and visitors to the 2018 Union County World War I Film Festival at the Linden Public Library from September 7 to November 2. Admission is free of charge.

“Remembering our past is the best way to ensure that we make progress in the future,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Many motion pictures have been produced about what was, until then, the bloodiest conflict in human history. The World War I Film Festival provides an excellent educational opportunity for residents and visitors to be reminded of the historical facts and see them through different perspectives.”

The Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs has partnered with the Linden Library to present nine films, with WWI as a central theme, as seen from the French, British, American and German sides of the conflict. Each movie will be shown free of charge on Friday afternoons starting at 1:00 at the Linden Public Library in the Columbia Bank Room.

The film festival is part of the “WWI Centennial Events” series, running since April 2017 through the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs. The series commemorates the Centennial of the United States’ entry into World War I through lectures, presentations and events.

November 11 marks the centennial of the armistice signed that ended what came to be known as The Great War.

The World War I Film Festival is funded in part by a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of Cultural Affairs in the Department of State.

The screening schedule is as follows:

September 7 The African Queen (1951; 105 mins)
September 14 Oh What a Lovely War (1969; 144 mins)
September 21 All Quiet on the Western Front (1930; 136 mins)
September 28 In Love and War (1996; 113 mins)
October 5 Joyeux Noel (2005; 116 mins)
October 12 Gallipoli (1981; 110 mins)
October 19 Sergeant York (1941; 134 mins)
October 26 War Horse (2011; 146 mins)
November 2 Wings (1927; 144 mins)

For more information on this and other programs from the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs visit www.ucnj.org/cultural or call 908-558-2550

Public Info

Free Workshop “Harness the Power of Google” for Non-Profit Cultural Organizations to be Held Thursday, September 20th

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will present a free workshop, “Harness the Power of Google” on Thursday, September 20^th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Liberty Hall Wagon Shed Building, located at 1003 Morris Avenue in Union Township.

“Non-profit organizations have a constant need for free resources that help them expand their reach,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “The ‘Harness the Power of Google’ Workshop will introduce local cultural organizations to the current free Google tools available to them as well as equip them with the blueprint for leveraging these tools to increase their visibility and reach within our communities.”

The workshop is designed for arts, cultural and history organizations. Participants are invited to learn specific ways to use Google’s latest free tools to boost traffic to their organization’s website, increase audience engagement, and post events to increase their audience. Attendees will also learn about strategies to attract and manage online reviews, hear about voice search — a rapidly expanding portion of search queries, and more. Time permitting, the session may cover rudimentary basics of Google Ad Grants.

“This session will provide a terrific opportunity for non-profits to learn about current tools and techniques for promoting their cultural programs at no cost,” said Freeholder Bruce H. Bergen, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board.

Bruce Mishkin, the President of Adventix, will present the workshop. He brings fifteen years of experience in developing Google AdWords advertising campaigns for local and national businesses to his work at Adventix, a marketing and advertising agency specializing in helping arts organizations achieve success in the digital landscape. He is also an expert on local search engine optimization.

The workshop is funded in part by a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. It is presented through the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, in the Department of Parks and Recreation.

The workshop is free but pre-registration is required by September 19^th.

To register, contact the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs by email at culturalinfo@ucnj.org or call 908-558-2550 (NJ Relay users dial 711). The Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs is located at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth. For more information on all programs and activities, visit online at ucnj.org/parks-recreation/cultural-heritage-affairs.

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Archery Range Closed on Sunday

The Archery Range will be closed on Sunday, September 9^,2018 from 9:00am – 2:00pm

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Rockin the Reservation Day of Music, Crafts and Family Fun to be Held September 30

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation invites everyone to come out to the Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside on Sunday, September 30 for Rockin the Reservation. Formerly known as Harvest Festival, this is a day of live music and hands on family friendly activities.

“Rockin the Reservation will provide families the opportunity to explore the Watchung Reservation while enjoying the music and many activities planned for the day,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

Rockin the Reservation will run from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. with live country music featuring Big Hix, an exciting and fun country music tribute band, performing non-stop, high energy country hits. Also performing will be October Rose, a country duo from the New York/New Jersey area who bring passion, drive and determination to their music.

Along with music, the day will include plenty of other activities that residents have come to love at the Harvest Festival, including art demonstrations, interactive art and music, a petting zoo, pony rides, scarecrow building, a pumpkin patch, multi-cultural dancing, music demonstrations, food trucks, instruments and sensory trail tours.

Admission to Rockin the Reservation is $5, with children ages 7 and under admitted free of charge. There will be a fee charged for some activities.

Trailside Nature & Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside. For more information, call (908) 789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/fall.