RAHWAY, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for confidential personal documents will be available on Thursday, July 9, at Rahway River Park in Rahway.
“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft and eliminate clutter in their homes,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “It is a cost-effective way to assist our recycling efforts and it ties in with Union County’s other Go Green Initiatives.”
The July 9th shredding event will take place at Rahway River Park in Rahway, off St. Georges Avenue. NEXCUT Shredding of Elizabeth will be shredding documents at the site from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. The shredding event will end before 1 p.m. if the shredding truck reaches capacity.
All Union County residents are eligible to use the paper-shredding service. In an effort to accommodate everyone, there is a limit of four, 10-pound bags or boxes per person. Documents should not be bound. Please remove plastic binders and paperclips. Paper that is wet/damp will not be accepted. Residents should continue to recycle non-confidential papers and magazines with their municipal recycling program.\
Documents are put into 96-gallon containers provided by the shredding company. The items are dumped onto a conveyor belt and shredded on site. Participants are welcome to view the shredding process via a closed-circuit television. Shredded documents are then recycled, shipped to paper mills and used as pulp. The next shredding event will take place Saturday, August 8, on the campus of Kean University in Union.
The mobile shredding program is paid for through New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Recycling Enhancement Act Grant Funds. For more information about future events or directions please call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889 or visit us online at www.ucnj.org/recycle .
KENILWORTH, NJ—The County of Union will present a night of Family Fun and Fireworks on Sunday, July 5th from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. at Galloping Hill Golf Course, 3 Golf Drive, in Kenilworth. Admission is free, and the event will be held rain or shine.
There will be free entertainment, including music, and inflatables for children. Attendees will be able to purchase food from trucks offering Italian Ice and hot pretzels, Southern Style Smoked BBQ and Latin food. Live music performed by Big Bang Baby will begin at 7 p.m. Fireworks will begin at dark.
Free parking and shuttle service to the Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth will be provided from Union County College in Cranford which is located at 1033 Springfield Avenue. Shuttles will run continuously from 4:30 p.m. until the end of event. Please note there will not be parking available on site at the Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth for the general public, however those who are disabled and provide parking permits will be permitted to park on site. There will also be a paratransit bus available for those who need accessible transportation to Galloping Hill from Union County College in Cranford.
The public is encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for use on the lawn of the driving range of the facility, where the event will occur. The public may bring food in for picnicking but no alcohol.
For a complete listing of summer events visit ucnj.org.
Union County Mosquito Control will be spraying for adult mosquito control in the following areas. Spraying will commence approximately at 7:30 pm and cease at approximately 11:30 pm. All spraying is dependent on clear weather and low wind velocity.
Rahway– Leesville Ave., Martin St., Seminary Rd., Church St., River Rd., Whittier St., Midwood Rd., Briarcliff @ Madison Hill Rd.
Roselle– Chestnut St., 7th Ave., E. 6th Ave., Columbus Ave., Raritan Rd., Pine St.
Scotch Plains– Frank St., Tempe Ct., Lambertsmile Rd. behind Robert Wood Johnson
Summit– New Providence Rd. @ Summit Yard, Stanley Ave.
Springfield– Layng Terrace, Diven St., Laurel Dr.
Westfield– Livingston St., Windsor Rd., Marcellus Dr.
County Parks- Winfield/Union County Pkwy., Rahway/Rahway River Park, Hillside/ Conant Park, Clark/ Oakridge Park, Elizabeth/ Mantano Park, Kenilworth/Lenape Park
Town Parks– Linden/Memorial Park, Clark/ Bartell Park, Union/Biertempful Park/Radkin Park, Berkeley Hts./ Mt Carmel
ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of six different fabric and found object creations by Paula Borenstein 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 her work entitled “Girls” is on display at the Pearl Street Gallery through August 14. The public is invited to enjoy the exhibit during regular gallery hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
Paula Borenstein was the Artist in Residence at the Elizabeth Public Library in the Fall of 2014. During that time, she conducted workshops, exhibited fabric collages, and created a room-sized installation entitled “Sanctuary” that traced her family’s history as refugees in the United States following World War II. Her program was made possible in part by a HEART Grant (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
“Paula has been an active participant in all things artistic and historical in Elizabeth for many years,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Advisory Board. “It’s a great pleasure to display her beautiful collages.”
Paula Borenstein is a founding member, past-president and current vice president of the Elizabeth Arts Council. The EAC was founded in 1999 and Paula has participated in every show, exhibiting mainly photographs and creating art installations. She is affiliated with the Elizabeth Landmarks and Preservation Committee, the Newark Historical Society, the Newark Landmarks and Preservation Committee, and the Union County Historical Society.
Ms. Borenstein earned a B.A. in History from Rutgers University in Newark and a Masters in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin School of Library and Information Science.
As a curator, Paula has put on many exhibits in Elizabeth, including an exhibit on James Thurber at the Elizabeth Public Library; the exhibit “Elizabeth through Artists’ Eyes” at Boxwood Hall Historic Site; and “Cool Art in June” and other exhibits sponsored by the Elizabeth Arts Council at various venues.
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.
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders awarded Union Catholic High School of Scotch Plains a certificate of recognition for its first-place finish in the UC-STEP campaign, Donate to Educate – Schools Supplying Schools. Pictured here, Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh (far l.) and Freeholder Alexander Mirabella (far r.), present a $1,000 school grant award to (l.-r.) Director of School Counseling Jennifer Dixon and students Billy McGloin, Jessica McGloin and Melissa McGloin of Union Catholic. Photo by James Lowney/County of Union.The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders awarded the Union County TEAMS charter school of Plainfield a certificate of recognition for its second-place finish in the UC-STEP campaign, Donate to Educate – Schools Supplying Schools. Pictured here, Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh (far l.) and Freeholder Alexander Mirabella (far r.), present a $500 school grant award to (l.-r.) student Esther Lawal and UC STEP advisor Jasmin Bethea of TEAMS. Photo by James Lowney/County of Union.The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders awarded Governor Livingston High School of Berkeley Heights a certificate of recognition for its third-place finish in the UC-STEP campaign, Donate to Educate – Schools Supplying Schools. Pictured here, Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh (far l.) and Freeholder Alexander Mirabella (far r.), present a grant award of $500 to (l.-r.) student Kristen Santullo and School Counselor Michelle Morin of Governor Livingston. Photo by James Lowney/County of Union.
Union County, NJ – The school year has barely come to a close, and students from high schools across Union County have already provided a giant assist for next year’s classes. They collected more than 19,000 school supplies and raised $3,000 in cash to help ensure that every child can start the next school year properly equipped, and ready for success.
The countywide project, called “Donate to Educate – Schools Supplying Schools” was created and carried out by students who participated in the Freeholder Board’s UC-STEP youth development summit last year.
“These young people showed a lot of character, and they engaged the whole Union County community in a project that will give a helping hand to students from families in need,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “They have provided an inspirational demonstration of the great things that happen when we all pull together for a good cause.”
UC-STEP (the Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program) began in 2013 as an initiative of Freeholder Linda Carter, who was Freeholder Chairman that year. It is a daylong summit that brings high school sophomores and juniors together from all walks of life, to practice leadership skills and engage in personal development activities.
The summit culminates in the creation and selection – by popular vote – of a countywide civic engagement project to be carried out in the spring, with the support of the Freeholder Board and other community sponsors.
The first UC-STEP campaign, called Support 4 Soldiers, enlisted the Union County community to collect “care package” items for active duty military members serving overseas. A total of 250 care packages were assembled through the efforts of that campaign.
The co-sponsors of this year’s Donate to Educate” – Schools Supplying Schools campaign were The Boys and Girls Clubs of Union County and Ivy Visions Inc. of Plainfield.
This year, 14 high schools participated: Academy for Performing Arts, Academy for Allied Health Sciences (both part of the UC Vo-Tech school district), Arthur L. Johnson, Barack Obama Green Charter, Cranford, Governor Livingston, Jonathon Dayton, Linden, Plainfield, Roselle Catholic, Summit, UC TEAMS, Union, and Union Catholic.
The campaign also included a friendly competition between the schools, based on the number of donations raised. Union Catholic High School of Scotch Plains was the first place winner and was awarded the Freeholder Board’s $1,000 START NOW grant for collecting an impressive total of 14,841 items.
UC TEAMS of Plainfield and Governor Livingston High School of Berkeley Heights came in second and third, respectively. They each received a grant of $500.
A company that supplies several New Jersey stores with bottled water has issued a recall because one of its source springs may be contaminated with E.coli.
New Jersey stores that sell the recalled products include including Wegmans, ShopRite, 7-Eleven, Acme and more, according to recall notices.
According to Niagara Bottling, the water was produced at the Hamburg and Allentown, Penn. facilities between 3 a.m. June 10 and 8 p.m. June 18.
According to the company’s notice, here’s the full list of brand names under which the water was sold:
Acadia
Acme
Big Y
Best Yet
7-Eleven
Niagara
Nature’s Place
Pricerite
Superchill
Morning Fresh
Shaws
ShopRite
Western Beef Blue
Wegmans
To determine if your water is affected, look at the code on the bottle. Only codes that begin with the letters A or F are affected.
“The first digit after the letter indicates the number of the production line. The next two numbers indicate the day, then the month in letters, the year, and then the time, based on a 24-hour clock,” the notice said.
For example, A610JUN15 2000 means the water was produced at Allentown on line 6, and manufactured on June 10, 2015 at 8 p.m. Products made between 3 a.m. June 10 and 8 p.m. June 18 should not be consumed, the notice said.
No illnesses have been reported and “this bottled water is treated with a continuous ozonation process, a proven kill step for E.coli,’’ the website said.
Additionally, only the following products are part of the recall:
Wegmans FYFGA Spring Water, 16.9 oz UPC 7789018860
Wegmans FYFGA Spring Water, 16.9 oz, 12-pack UPC 7789010085
Wegmans FYFGA Spring Water, 16.9 oz, 24-pack UPC 7789028768
Wegmans FYFGA Spring Water, 16.9 oz, 35-pack UPC 7789029365
No other sizes or code dates are affected by the recall issued by Niagara Bottling. All products may be returned for a full refund. For more information, call Wegmans Consumer Affairs at 1-855-934-3663, Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“As the spring source did not notify us in a timely manner, we have discontinued the use of this source,’’ the notice from Niagara Bottling said.
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to present Shakespeare in the Park featuring The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s Next Stage Ensemble performing Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare and directed by Illana Stein. Admission is free at each of the six performances.
“Shakespeare’s works have survived the test of time and remain undeniably some of the most significant words ever written,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “This summer’s tour of Romeo and Juliet in our parks provides an opportunity for residents of all ages to experience the most beloved playwright who ever lived.”
The tour of Shakespeare’s most popular romantic tragedy kicks off in the Shakespeare Garden at Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield on Sunday, July 12 at 2 p.m.
Additional tour performances include:
Thursday, July 23 Echo Lake Park, Mountainside 7:00 p.m. Sunday, July 26 Raymond Wood Bauer Promenade, Linden 7:00 p.m. Thursday, July 30 Oak Ridge Park, Clark 7:00 p.m. Monday, August 3 Echo Lake Park, Mountainside 7:00 p.m. Friday, August 7 Oak Ridge Park, Clark 7:00 p.m.
Pack a picnic and a blanket or lawn chairs and head out to Union County parks to enjoy the most famous love story ever written.
In the words of the Bard himself, “For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and Romeo.”
Written around 1594, Romeo and Juliet has been a favorite of audiences for over 400 years.
In the hot summer streets of Verona, two idealistic teens discover love in a society consumed by senseless brutality. Filled with witty wordplay, lyric poetry, and flashy swordfights, Romeo and Juliet remains one of the most gripping and moving tragedies by William Shakespeare.
The Next Stage Ensemble, the Shakespeare Theatre’s summer touring company of early career actors, is part of the Theatre’s Summer Professional Training Program which offers students working toward a career in the performing arts clear instruction, individual attention, and thoughtful and candid evaluation in a professional theatre environment. The Next Stage Ensemble works with The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s resident and guest directors on two fully developed productions of abridged classic plays. The troupe tours to various locations throughout the state – including libraries, retirement homes and community centers.
The acclaimed Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is an independent, professional theatre company located on the Drew University campus. One of the leading Shakespeare theatres in the nation, serving 100,000 adults and children annually, it is New Jersey’s largest professional theatre company dedicated solely to Shakespeare’s canon and other world classics. Through its distinguished productions and education programs, the company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of the classics for contemporary audiences.
For more information or for a complete listing of summer events visit ucnj.org.
Now that the summer travel season is under way, I’d like to update you on the ways in which my office can help with passport applications and other vital services.
The Office of the County Clerk is an authorized agent of the U.S. State Department and a one-stop portal for your passport application process.
By federal law, new passports and renewals for children age 15 and under require an in-person visit by the child and parents. We can process your forms and take your photograph at either of our two locations, the historic County Courthouse at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth or the new Colleen Frasier Building in Westfield, 300 North Avenue East.
Mass transit and nearby parking are available for both sites, and we have extended our hours to make our passport services more accessible. The Elizabeth office is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Westfield office has a flexible schedule: Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Land records are another critical service used by many Union County residents, businesses and professionals. That is clearly demonstrated by our Online Public Land Records property search page, which received more than 900,000 individual visits last year alone.
Information can be accessed and transmitted electronically, without the need to travel to the archives. As a one-stop portal, our search page includes links for viewing and printing any document that has been published online, ordering certified copies by mail, and accessing our newly expanded e-recording service. Persons without Internet access can request information by phone or mail.
E-recording enables documents to be recorded electronically. If you are unfamiliar with this service, you can call my office at 908-527-4787 to find out more.
We also provide important services for veterans. These services are all free of charge and they can be accessed remotely, online or by phone and mail. Veterans can have their Honorable Discharge documents recorded and obtain certified copies, and receive Honorable Discharge identification cards (the “Veterans’ ID” card) and Veterans’ Peddlers Licenses. We also coordinate an online list of businesses offering discounts to holders of the Veterans ID card.
Similarly, businesses registering trade names as required by State law can conduct their transactions by mail using our downloadable forms. Persons applying to become notaries public can use our notary portal, which includes links for completing the application online or downloading mail-in forms.
If you have any questions about our services please visit our office or call 908-527-4787 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
To view the County Clerk website visit ucnj.org/county-clerk. For passport questions, call the Elizabeth office at 908-527-4966 or the Westfield office at 908-527-9859.
Union County, NJ – A big thank-you from the Freeholder Board goes out to the great group of 32 Adopt-a-Park volunteers from Morgan Stanley, who spent their Thursday this week out at the Deserted Village of Feltville in Union County’s Watchung Reservation. They spread mulch, removed invasive plants, repaired a split rail fence, and fixed erosion problems along a nearby trail. To top it off, they cleaned windows, floors and exhibit cases in the Church-Store building at the village. Morgan Stanley also provided a generous donation that will go to purchase tools, herbicide and new split rail fencing. Every year, hundreds of volunteers provide invaluable assistance with nature conservation and beautification projects in County parks. To join Adopt-a-Park as an individual or group, visit the County website at ucnj.org or call the Department of Parks and Recreation, 908-789-3683. Photos: Betty Ann Kelly/County of Union.
