Category: Public Info

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of paintings by Paul Federico of Scotch Plains in the gallery space at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, located in the historic St. John’s Parsonage at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth. A selection of his work entitled ‘The Three Skaters’ is on display at the Pearl Street Gallery through December 30. The public is invited to enjoy the exhibit during regular gallery hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

“The talent and diversity of our county artists assure an inspiring variety of exhibits at the Pearl Street Gallery,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Advisory Board. “We are pleased to display Mr. Federico’s charming illustrations from his children’s book, ‘The Three Skaters’.”

Federico studied drawing at Brookdale Community College while in high school. He earned his BFA at Parsons School of Design, NY; attended The School of Visual Arts, NY; duCret School of Art, Plainfield; and attended life drawing classed at the Arts Students League in Manhattan.

Federico said of his work, “Years ago, when I was reading bedtime stories to my daughter Kim, I came across a story called “The Three Skaters” in a book of Christmas stories from around the world. It is a story about three families who offer all they have to give to a family of young refugees. It’s about the joy you can feel when you unconditionally give a gift to someone. I thought that it would make a terrific bedtime story. So I adapted it into a 34 page, hard cover children’s book with 18 full color illustrations. The story is set in the 19th century Holland. I painted the illustrations in oil on wooden panels in a van Gogh style.”

Paul Federico is an artist and graphic designer and the Creative Director of Princeton Partners Advertising. He is a member of the Westfield Art Association and the Contemporary Art Group of Watchung and has exhibited throughout the region. To see more of Paul Federico’s artwork got to www.paulfederico.com.

Union County artists (whose works can be hung on a wall) interested in exhibiting in the gallery space are welcome to apply. For more information about the Pearl Street Gallery or other programs, please contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth NJ 07202. Free on-site parking is available. Telephone 908-558-2550. NJ Relay users can dial 711. Send E-mail to: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

Union County, NJ – Union County residents who are caring for persons with Alzheimer’s Disease are invited to attend a free informational conference on Saturday, November 5, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at Union County College, 1033 Springfield Avenue in Cranford.

Free adult day care is available, so that attendees can focus on the conference while their loved ones are looked after by experienced staff.

The conference is designed to provide expert, reliable guidance for caregivers. Topics include medication and behavioral management as well as legal and financial considerations.

The conference is hosted by the Union County Department of Human Services, Division on Aging in partnership with Alzheimer’s New Jersey.

The adult day care will be provided free of charge by the Gateway Family YMCA’s W.I.S.E. Adult Day Center, 2095B Berwyn Street in Union.

Seating is limited and pre-registration is required by calling Alzheimer’s New Jersey, 973-586-4300 or 1-888-280-6055. Attendees planning to use the free adult day care must also request that service in advance.

For additional information, contact the Division on Aging at 908-527-4872.

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.

Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi encourages voters with mobile devices to download the free Union County Votes app to receive complete information for the upcoming General Election on November 8.

“Interest in early voting has been growing, so we have added a new “Early Voting” button this year to help voters access all the information they need through the convenience of their mobile phones and tablets,” said Ms. Rajoppi.

Early voting applications are available for download from the County Clerk’s new Elections website, unioncountyvotes.com. They can also be obtained by calling the Elections Division, 908-527-4996.

The deadline for mailing the application is past. However, voters who did not mail their applications still have ample time to submit them in person.

Voters who wish to use the early voting process in person can bring their application to the County Clerk’s main office in Elizabeth or the annex office in Westfield up until 3:00 p.m. on November 7. Pre-printed applications are also available at these offices.

In-person applicants can use the County Clerk’s convenient “One Stop” service to have their application processed while they wait, receive their early voting ballot, and cast it in a secure box. 

The County Clerk is also offering special extended hours this week to accommodate in-person early voters.

Early voting is also known as vote-by-mail, and early voting ballots are still sometimes still called absentee ballots. Since 2009, every registered voter in New Jersey has the option to vote early by mailing in their ballot, or dropping it off in advance of Election Day.

The County Clerk’s main office at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday November 5, for voters to apply for a Vote by Mail ballot in person.

The annex, at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield, is also open for Vote by Mail users on Saturday November 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

For a schedule of regular weekday office hours and more information about voting in Union County use the Union Count Votes app, visit unioncountyvotes.com, or call the Elections Division at 908-527-4996.

For all other County Clerk programs and services visit online at ucnj.org/county-clerk or call 908-527-4787.

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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.

Union County’s new mobile Aging Service Kiosk (ASK) program is scheduled to visit six communities throughout Union County in November. The free ASK information sessions are designed to provide residents with a convenient, friendly way to find out about services for seniors, and for their families and caregivers.

“The ASK program brings our experienced staff to different locations throughout the county where seniors can come for expert, reliable guidance about county support programs and services that are available to them,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Human Services Advisory Council. “If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, I encourage you to stop by at any one of the six upcoming events.”

The new Aging Services Kiosk (ASK) free outreach program is designed to provide residents with information about aging services and programs such as home delivered meals, respite care, home care, and adult day care, as well as support services for caregivers. Assistance with completing applications and forms will also be available.

Open to all Union County residents, the ASK outreach program is scheduled to visit the following six municipalities in November:

Wednesday, November 9
Linden Public Library
31 E. Henry Street
Linden, NJ 07036
10:00am to 12:00pm

Thursday, November 10
Westfield Community Center
558 West Broad Street
Westfield, NJ 07090
10:30am to 12:30pm

Monday, November 14
Clark Public Library
303 Westfield Avenue
Clark, NJ 07066
10:00 am to 12:00pm

Wednesday, November 16
Fanwood Public Library
5 Forest Road
Fanwood, NJ 07023
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Thursday, November 17
Berkeley Heights Public Library
290 Plainfield Avenue
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
10:00 a.m. to 12 noon

Friday, November 18
Mountainside Municipal Building
1385 Route 22 East
Mountainside, NJ 07092
11:30 am to 1:30pm

ASK is a program of the Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection under the Union County Department of Human Services. The Division on Aging is an Area Agency on Aging established under the Older Americans Act as part of a national initiative to improve services for older adults since 1965. The division offers informational resources printed in both English and Spanish.

For more information about ASK and other programs and services of the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection, call the division’s toll-free number: 1-888-280-8226, or visit the Union County government website at ucnj.org.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski and Alexander Mirabella speak with Scotch Plains Recreation Director Matt Mercurio, driver Lynn Barattucci and resident Sylvia Lovell about the new passenger van awarded to the township as part of Chairman Bergen’s “Seniors in Motion” initiative for 2016. The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders awarded vans to 18 municipalities in Union County to provide transportation for the seniors in each town. For more information on the “Seniors in Motion” initiative and other senior programs, call the Office of the Director, Department of Human Services at 908-527-4808 or visit ucnj.org. (Photo by Jim Lowney/ County of Union)

Nominations are being accepted now through the end of November for the 25th annual Women of Excellence awards.  The awards highlight the powerful impact that women have on the Union County community. The deadline to submit a nomination for consideration is December 1, 2016.

“Each year, the Women of Excellence awards celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of women of diverse backgrounds from throughout Union County who have distinguished themselves in their careers and communities,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “I encourage local government agencies, businesses and non-profits, and residents to nominate a woman of excellence, whether professional or volunteer, to be recognized for their commitment to Union County.”

Sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Commission on the Status of Women, the awards program celebrates women who live or work in Union County and have made important contributions of professional or volunteer work. This year, the new Union County Office on Women – a 2016 initiative of Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen – joins in sponsoring the Women of Excellence awards.

Women can be nominated for their contributions in the categories of Arts and Humanities, Business and Entrepreneurial, Community Service, Education, Government, Law, Law Enforcement, Medicine and Health Care, or Women’s Advocacy.

The Women of Excellence Award is open to all women, 21 years or older, who live, work, or volunteer in Union County.

Awardees will receive a Freeholder Resolution in their honor and will be celebrated at the annual Women of Excellence gala awards dinner, to be held on March 24, 2017 at the Clubhouse at Union County’s Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth.

For more information about submitting a Women of Excellence nomination, or to download a nomination form, visit ucnj.org/women-of-excellence-award. Questions about the nomination process can be emailed to Jane O’Hara, johara1217@gmail.com.

All nominations should be mailed to Jane O’Hara at 708 Newark Avenue, Westfield, NJ 07090 and postmarked no later than December 1, 2016.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders cut the ribbon today on a major renovation and expansion at the Watchung Stables, the County’s public horse riding facility, that included a new indoor riding ring to enable year-round use.

“The dream of year-round riding at the Watchung Stables has come true and will help spur the growth and accessibility to horse riding at our stables while attracting additional revenues to support this worthwhile program,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen.

The main features of the new project are:

• Construction of an energy-efficient indoor ring that requires no heating in winter;
• Renovation/construction of three outdoor riding rings and six paddocks;
• New surfaces, fencing, and landscaping throughout the facility;
• Installation of new barn doors to save energy and prevent heat loss in winter.

The Freeholder Board awarded a $2.3 million contract last September to JC Landscape Construction & Management Co., Inc. of Pequannock to build the improvements.

“The many volunteers who have supported Watchung Stables over the years have been inspirational, and they highlight how this valuable community asset has enriched Union County over the years,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados who is the Freeholder Board’s liaison to the Department of Parks and Recreation. “Horseback riding teaches valuable life lessons, and we are proud to preserve and improve a Union County tradition that began in 1925.”

The Watchung Stables are located in the Watchung Reservation, on Summit Lane in Mountainside. The stables’ Watchung Mounted Troops youth program currently serves approximately 700 children yearly, many of whom volunteer at the stables and perform related community service projects when they are not riding.

The Watchung Stables also offers classes and programs for adults and casual riders, activities for non-riders, and boarding services for privately owned horses. For more info: https://ucnj.org/parks-recreation/watchung-stable/

Three volunteer groups raise funds for equipment and help staff activities and programs at the stable: Watchung Stables Auxiliary, Watchung Jr. Hunt Club, and Watchung Riding and Driving Club. The Auxiliary also includes a subcommittee called School Horses of Watchung Retirement Program, which arranges new homes for horses that are too old for stables work.

The Watchung Stables have been a fixture in Union County since the origin of the County Parks system in 1925.  Along with golf, tennis, swimming and other facilities in County parks, Watchung Stables was established to provide all County residents with access to a popular activity that would otherwise require membership in private clubs and riding facilities.

The original location of Watchung Stables was in Summit, on Glenside Avenue. That site was lost in the 1980’s when the “missing link” of Interstate 78 was constructed. Work on the present facility in Mountainside began in 1983 and largely concluded in 1985. The initial plans called for the construction of an indoor ring.

Union County, NJ – The Hillside Victory Community Garden Club celebrated another successful year with its 6^th annual fall harvest festival last weekend. The garden is still enjoying a lavish crop of cold-hardy collards, chard and other seasonal greens.

It also provides a habitat for valuable pollinators. Union County Freeholders Sergio Granados (far l.) and Vernell Wright (far r.) thanked the gardeners for their work, which includes donating fresh produce, providing volunteer opportunities for local youth, and engaging the community in healthy nutrition.

This year garden received a grant from the new Union County Means Green Community Garden Grant program, a 2016 initiative of Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen.

More information about the grant program is available online at ucnj.org or call the grant administrator, Groundwork Elizabeth, 908-558-1142.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce the new “Senior Focus” grant program for 2016. Designed to support the well-being, safety and quality of life for senior adults in Union County, “Senior Focus” funding may be used for repairs and rehabilitation of senior center facilities or equipment for the centers.

“The senior population of Union County is growing, and with ‘Senior Focus’ we demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that local communities have the resources to continue improving their facilities, programs and services,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen.

The new “Senior Focus” grant will make available awards of up to $25,000 to each of Union County’s 21 municipalities for capital improvements or equipment purchases to en
hance their local senior center facilities. Qualifying centers must be owned by the municipality and used exclusively or primarily as a senior center. 

Examples of improvements covered under the grant include ADA access improvements, repairs to or replacement the roof, plumbing and electrical upgrades, and site improvements.

In addition to capital projects, examples of acceptable equipment purchases could include computers/printers, stereos and headphones, and PA systems.

Offered as part of Chairman Bergen’s “Year of the Senior” 2016 initiatives, the new “Senior Focus” program complements the recently announced “Seniors in Motion” program, which provides vans for senior transportation to the County’s municipalities.

“The ‘Year of the Senior’ programs are intended to support our senior adults and provide access to services that impact their quality of life,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Human Services Advisory Board.

Administered through the Department of Human Services, grant applications have been sent to all 21 municipalities and the review process will begin in November. Grant awards will be announced later this year. For more information contact the Office of the Director, Department of Human Services at (908) 527-4808.