Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholders Linda Carter, Christopher Hudak and Bette Jane Kowalski join Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, Union County Manager Alfred Faella, members of the Elizabeth City Council and Board of Education in cutting the ribbon officially opening Union County’s first inclusive public playground in Mattano Park in Elizabeth. The ceremony took place during Union County’s Family Fun Day in the park. Fun for all ages and abilities, the new inclusive playground at Mattano Park features a variety of accessible play equipment including a Merry-Go-All, Roller Slide, Roller Table, Swing Seats, and more. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce the awarding of passenger vans to 18 municipalities in Union County in support of Chairman Bruce H. Bergen’s “Seniors in Motion” initiative for 2016.
The vans are expected to arrive in November. The initiative, which was last implemented in 2001, will provide municipalities that requested it, with a passenger van (purchased by the County) for senior transport.
“We recognize seniors as an integral part of our community,” said Freeholder Chairman Bergen. “The ‘Seniors in Motion’ initiative has been successful in the past and we are happy to see it continue to enhance the lives of seniors throughout the county.”
Eight municipalities received the requested 12-passenger van and ten received the 15-passenger van. Union County funded $495,000 for the initiative. Each van will provide transportation for the seniors in their town.
The communities will keep the vehicle for its lifetime and will be responsible for insurance, maintenance, and the provision of qualified drivers who have a Commercial Drivers’ License (CDL) for the 15-passenger van. Some municipalities that participated in the 2001 initiative, had maintained their aging vehicles, and contacted the County about renewing the initiative this year.
The towns receiving a van are: Berkeley Heights, Clark, Cranford, Elizabeth, Hillside, Kenilworth, Linden, Mountainside, New Providence, Plainfield, Rahway, Roselle, Roselle Park, Scotch Plains, Springfield, Summit, Union, and Winfield Park.
Bergen declared 2016 as “the Year of the Senior,” announcing several programs offering various services for seniors.
Additionally, Union County’s existing Paratransit system will continue to provide rides, at minimal cost, for transportation to medical treatments and other related activities. The Paratransit fleet can accommodate those in wheelchairs and walkers and makes regularly scheduled trips to the Lyons VA Medical Center and the East Orange VA Medical Center.
Video outlining the recent Union County Means Business Expo. The event offered local businesses an opportunity to showcase their products or services, network with other business leaders, expand their customer base and generate market awareness.
The Business Expo is the first business to business trade show networking event presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders in conjunction with Union County Means Business (UCMB) through the Union County Workforce Development Board and partnering organizations.
Art and Music Gone Wild on Stage – Fun for the Whole Family
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to bring a sensory-friendly performance of the exciting, interactive, and spectacular ARTRAGEOUS to the stage at the Union County Performing Arts Center this Sunday, October 2 at 3:00 p.m.
All tickets are $8 per person and can be purchased through the Union County Performing Arts Center at ucpac.org or by calling the Box Office at 732-499-8226.
“The series of sensory-friendly music, theater, and dance performances offer a relaxed and safe environment for audiences and are specially adapted to help reduce disturbances and increase access for children and adults of all abilities,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “The Freeholder Board is proud to partner with the visual and performing artists of Artrageous to bring this fun, interactive, family event to the community.”
ARTRAGEOUS! is the one of a kind interactive art and music experience that has CBS raving “Go see this show!” Giant works of art jump to life with amazing speed unveiling larger than life icons and masterpieces in just moments, all the while there is constant activity on stage, attracting your attention and delighting your senses with energy, spirit and action. Have all this live painting accompanied by amazing vocals, creative choreography, high energy live music with unforgettable audience interaction and you will have experienced a journey of wild inspiration and fun – its Artrageous.
For each of the performances in Union County’s Sensory Friendly Theatre series the theatre environment at the Union County Performing Arts Center is adjusted to provide a sensory-friendly, comfortable and judgment-free space that is welcoming for all families.
Autism Friendly Spaces implements the supportive atmosphere at each of the sensory-friendly performances. For more information on what to expect at a Sensory Friendly Theatre performance visit ucpac.org/sensory-friendly-theatre.
Additional support for the sensory-friendly performance of Artrageous is provided by CRBard Inc.
For more information or to purchase tickets call the Union County Performing Arts Center, 732-499-8226 or visit ucpac.org. The UCPAC Box Office, located at 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM and is also open late on Thursdays until 8:00 PM.
For information on additional Union County recreational programs for people with disabilities age five and up, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4781 or visit ucnj.org.
Union County Freeholders Linda Carter, Christopher Hudak, Bette Jane Kowalski and Alexander Mirabella congratulate the Kelly-Ebbe family from Rahway/Scotch Plains, the Hudak family from Linden and the Salfi family from North Caldwell on winning the scarecrow contest at the 35th Annual Harvest Festival at Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Invited honorees include men who found pipe bomb, bar owner who reported suspect, Linden Police officers who made apprehension and various law enforcement agencies
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will honor a number of individuals and agencies this Thursday at its regular Freeholder Meeting in Elizabeth in connection with their heroic efforts in finding and defusing pipe bombs and the arrest of a suspect believed to have been involved with the incident.
The presentation begins around 7 p.m. at the Freeholder Chambers on the 6th floor of the Union County Administration Building at 10 Elizabethtown Plaza.
Those who will be honored include the two men—Lee Parker and Ivan White–who found the suspicious backpack in Elizabeth containing the pipe bombs and then reported it to Elizabeth police; Harinder Bains, the Linden bar/deli owner who reported the suspect wanted in connection with the pipe bombs; and the two Linden Police officers, Angel Padilla and Peter Hammer, who apprehended the suspect in connection with the incident.
Other agencies who will be honored include the Union County Bomb Squad, which safely handled the pipe bombs, the Union County Police who responded to the scene where the pipe bombs were discovered and also to the scene of the apprehension in Linden, the Union County Sheriff’s K-9 Squad, which was responded to the scene of the pipe bombs and was used throughout the area and incident; the Linden Police department as a whole unit for their role in the apprehension; the Elizabeth Police and Fire Departments as a whole which responded to the pipe bomb incident and notified all other agencies.
“As you can see, there was no shortage of civic and law enforcement heroes who stepped up and responded to ensure the safety of our County as a whole,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen. “We look forward to honoring them all.”
Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados noted: “This incident was a model example of bravery, teamwork and cooperation among agencies and the public which resulted in a quick apprehension. We salute all those whose quick and selfless actions contributed to the positive result for our community.”
The public and media are invited to attend the meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. Address: Freeholder Meeting room, 6th floor, Union County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ 07207. Parking is available in the J. Christian Bollwage Parking deck at the corner of Elizabethtown Plaza and E. Jersey Street.
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.
Elizabeth, NJ: Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi has received the national “Trailblazer Award” for her leadership in the eRecording industry from Corporation Service Company® (CSC®). The awards celebrate a select few government recording offices nationwide for advancements in electronic recording, while honoring the work of clerks and recorders who have implemented and promoted the use of eRecording technology.
The Union County Clerk’s Office was selected for the “Trailblazer Award,” which recognizes a recording office that has led its state in implementing or further developing eRecording technology. Union County accounted for a total of 7,425 electronically recorded documents in 2015, and to date exceeds more than 4,500 for the 2016 fiscal year.
“The Union County Clerk’s Office is committed to providing accessible, convenient, and proven technology to its clients,” said Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi. “CSC has been a trusted eRecording partner in assisting my office with outstanding service.”
Union County joins four other counties receiving national recognition as eRecording All-Stars, including Webster Parish, Louisiana; Marion County, Oregon; Denver County, Colorado; and Clark County, Nevada.
“We’re pleased to recognize Joanne Rajoppi and the Union County Clerk’s Office for its commitment to eRecording in the great state of New Jersey,” said Mark Rosser, vice president for CSC. “Union County has been a trailblazer in implementing electronic document recording, and this award speaks to their commitment to eRecording.”
A committee of CSC management and operations staff selected the award winners, who will also receive commemorative trophies to honor their accomplishments
About CSC
Corporation Service Company® (CSC®), a privately held business and legal services organization, provides matter management, corporate compliance, and trustee services for companies and law firms worldwide; digital brand services for top global brands; and due diligence and transactional services for the world’s largest financial institutions. Founded in 1899, CSC has nearly 2,400 employees throughout North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. To learn more about CSC’s eRecording solutions, visit www.erecording.com.
Media please note: This press release is provided by Corporation Service Company. For more information about the Trailblazer Award and CSC contact:
Union County’s new mobile Aging Service Kiosk (ASK) will host free information events at six public locations in October. The events are designed to provide residents with a convenient, friendly way to find out about services for the aging, and for their families and caregivers.
“Our seniors have found the new ASK program to be helpful this summer, and we are glad to be able to extend it into the fall,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, who is a member of the Union County Human Services Advisory Board. “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.
ASK is staffed by professionals with the Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection of the Union County Department of Human Services. They will provide information and guidance on home delivered meals, respite care, home care, adult day care and other services.
They can also provide help with filling out applications and other forms, if needed.
Union County residents may attend ASK events in any municipality. The events scheduled for October are:
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Wednesday, October 5
Linden Public Library
31 E. Henry Street
Linden, 07036
10:00am to 12:00pm
Thursday, October 13
Westfield Community Center
558 West Broad Street
Westfield 07090
10:30am to 12:30pm
Monday, October 17
Clark Public Library
303 Westfield Avenue
Clark, 07066
10:00 am to 12:00pm
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Wednesday, October 19
Fanwood Public Library
5 Forest Road
Fanwood, 07023
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Thursday, October 20
Berkeley heights Public Library
290 Plainfield Avenue
Berkeley Heights, 07922
10:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Friday, October 21
Mountainside Municipal Building
1385 Route 22 East
Mountainside, 07092
11:30 am to 1:30pm
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ASK is a program of the Union County Department of Human Services Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection. 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.
For more information about ASK and other programs of the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection, call 1-888-280-8226 toll free or visit online at ucnj.org.
Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, Union County Sheriff Joe Cryan, Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi and Union County Surrogate James LaCorte met with Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Commander Robert Jeans before they spoke about county services available to veterans at the VFW NJ District 5 meeting at the Kenilworth Veterans Center. The Town Hall Meeting with veterans is part of Chairman Bergen’s UC HERO initiative for continued outreach to veterans about services offered through various county agencies. For more information about Union County services for veterans visit www.ucnj.org/uc-hero/. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Event Scheduled for 1 p.m. features speakers from Ciao Amici Italian Language and Cultural Center, the County of Union, UNICO District X, and Italian American ONE VOICE Coalition
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announced that Union County’s eighth annual Columbus Day Flag Raising event is set for Friday, Oct. 7th, at 1 p.m., on the steps of the historic Union County Courthouse.
The keynote speaker is State Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, who represents the 22nd District in Union County. Senator Scutari is the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Scutari, who is an attorney and a former Union County Freeholder, has a tradition—dating back to Italy—of civic involvement in his family.
Filomena Coccaro, the owner of Ciao Amici, the Italian Language and Cultural Center in Cranford, will also speak. Coccaro was born and raised in Potenza, Italy, and graduated from the University of Rome “La Sapienza.” She moved to the United States in 1996 and has been teaching the Italian language and culture ever since.
Other scheduled speakers at the flag raising include: Members of the Union County Freeholder Board including Al Mirabella, who is emceeing the event this year, Plainfields’ UNICO Founder Renato Biribin, Italian American ONE VOICE Coalition President Manny Alfano; and UNICO District X Governor Bill Hearon. Additionally, resolutions will be presented to all Chapters of UNICO in District X.
UNICO is the nation’s largest Italian American service organization whose chapters and members engage in promoting and defending Italian culture and heritage, as well as providing scholarships, engaging in community service and other philanthropic endeavors.
The courthouse is located at 2 Broad St. in Elizabeth at the corner of Rahway Avenue. In the event of rain, the program will be moved indoors to the County Courthouse Rotunda.
UNICO District X and Plainfields’ UNICO work to organize and co-sponsor the event.
Italian-style refreshments will be served after the program in the historic Union County Courthouse. Parking (pay) is available in the Midtown area at the J. Christian Bollwage Parking deck at Elizabethtown Plaza and Caldwell Place. A second deck is Elizabeth’s Parking Deck No. 6 on Jefferson Avenue and Dickinson Street—the entrance is on Dickinson Street.
