Category: Public Info

(From left) Union County Freeholder Bruce Bergen, Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich, Dr. Ralph Oriscello, a Vietnam Veteran and former Chief of Cardiology at the East Orange Veterans Medical Center, historian and former Sheriff’s Former Chief Warrant Officer Lester Sargent, Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, Freeholder Sergio Granados, Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi, Freeholder Vernell Wright and Richard Thompson from the Union County Office of Veterans Affairs unveil the Medal of Honor Memorial at the Union County Complex in Elizabeth. The permanent monument honors the military service of the ten Union County recipients of the Medal of Honor.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

WATCHUNG RESERVATION – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Trailside Nature and Science Center are pleased to announce “Craft Day in the Barn” on Saturday, November 9, at the newly renovated historic Masker’s Barn, nestled in the woodsy Deserted Village in the Watchung Reservation. Two different workshops – one in the morning for adults only; the other in the afternoon for families – will offer participants a chance to get ready for the holidays and the spirit of the season by making their own crafts.

“These creative workshops are an ideal opportunity for making something from natural materials, in surroundings that inspire the participants,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Craft Day in the Barn is a nice way to welcome the holidays by sharing a creative experience with friends and family.”

The morning workshop for adults, 18 years and older, will take place from 10 a.m. to noon. The program for adults is $15 for Union County residents and $20 for out-of-county participants. Taught by Trailside naturalists, this workshop provides the materials and guidance to create a wreath, a swag and wall hangings made of natural materials. Light refreshments will be served. Bring a glue gun if you have one. Crafters will meet at the parking lot off Cataract Hollow Road in Berkeley Heights. Pre-registration is required as space is limited. Walk-ins will be accommodated as space permits.

The afternoon workshop for families will take place from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. This program is recommended for adults with children ages 5 and older. The fee is $10 per child for Union County residents and $12 per child for out-of-county participants, and includes the cost of materials. Pre-registration is required as supplies are limited. Adults must accompany children. Program participants should meet at the Deserted Village parking lot off Cataract Hollow Road in Berkeley Heights. Families will enjoy the scenery as a hay wagon shuttles them from the parking lot, past the old General Store and through Feltville to Masker’s Barn. Participants will then work on three different crafts before returning via hay wagon to their vehicles.

To pre-register for either workshop or for additional information about Craft Day in the Barn or other programs or upcoming events, stop at the Trailside Visitors Center from noon to 5:00 p.m. daily, call 908-789-3670, or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside Nature and Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road (at Coles Avenue) in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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Union County Freeholders Sergio Granados (2nd left),  Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak(5th left), and Bette Jane  Kowalski (3rd right) present a check for $4,000 to the members of the Linden Halloween Parade Committee including (from left): Gary Luciano, Mayor Richard J. Gerbounka, Tom Walker, Mike Holencsak, Carl Pereira, Audrey Pereira, Paul Curldy, Nancy Dziedzic, and Steve Zielinski. The parade will take place on Sunday, October 27th at 2:00 p.m. on Wood Avenue. (photo courtesy of the County of Union)

(From left) Union County Freeholders Sergio Granados and Bette Jane Kowalski present resolutions to Richard Wilkinson, Karen Dinsmore and Marguerite Modero congratulating then on being honored by Community Access Unlimited (CAU) at the organization’s 33rd Annual Gala Dinner Dance in Mountainside. They are joined by CAU Executive Director Sidney Blanchard. Richard Wilkinson was named Humanitarian of the Year. Karen Dinsmore, Assistant Director of the Union County Department of Human Services, received the Public Leadership Award. Marguerite Modero received the Ira Geller Award. For more information about CAU, a multi-faceted, human services agency that provides support services for at-risk youth and people with disabilities, please visit www.caunj.org.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County –Spaces are still available for Maximizing Your Business with the Internet a new Union County Means Business program. The event will take place on October 30th from 8:00-10:00 a.m. at Union County Performing Arts Center’s Hamilton Stage in Rahway. Featuring Tara Dowdell, former “Apprentice” contestant and Founder of the Tara Dowdell Group, the program will cover topics like ecommerce, internet marketing and website development.

“Ms. Dowdell was a featured speaker at our 1st annual Union County Women Mean Business Summit in June,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Her session on Social Networking was one of our most popular and demand for her return has been high. We hope that this session will allow people to gain further insight from Tara, and give them the opportunity for additional time to ask direct questions.”

In addition to her “Apprentice” fame, Dowdell is a respected television commentator and speaker.  She appears weekly on CNN, the Fox News Channel, and the Fox Business Network where she provides progressive insight and analysis on a range of political, government, and business topics.  She can also be seen and heard regularly on MSNBC, Fox 5’s “Good Day New York,” and My9’s “News at 10 p.m.”

The UCMB series is open to all interested parties, specifically people who own or manage a business in Union County, or who are planning to start a business in Union County. It is designed to bring local business owners, prospective owners and managers in contact with government representatives who can help them obtain information about grants, loans, social media, employee recruitment, and other resources pertinent to their endeavors.

All sessions are free but pre-registration is required by visiting the Union County website athttps://ucnj.org/UCMeansBusiness or call 908-527-4200.

UCMB Programs are sponsored by the Board of Chosen Freeholders in partnership with the Union County Alliance, Union County Economic Development Corp., Greater Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce, Suburban Chambers of Commerce, Union Township Chamber of Commerce, Kean University, and Union County College.

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For the second year in a row, students from Abraham Clark High School in Roselle pitched in to repair fences, spread mulch, and remove invasive plants and litter at the native shoreline restoration project at the lake in Warinanco Park. Union County Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (far l.) and Sergio Granados (far r.) stopped by to lend a hand and thank the students for their community service. Warinanco Park shares many elements with Central Park and other historic public parks created by renowned landscape designer Frederick Olmsted and his sons. For more information about events and programs in Union County parks visit ucnj.org/parks or call 908-527-4900. (photo: County of Union/Betty Ann Kelly)

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Union County – As Union County continues to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the Board of Chosen Freeholders recently announced that the County has been awarded $2.8 million dollars as part of the Sandy Homeowner/Renter Assistance Program.

“The effects of Hurricane Sandy have been long lasting, not just structurally but economically” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “We are grateful for the allocation of these funds and hope that they will bring some extra relief to for the residents who are still struggling to pick up the pieces.”

The State grant program will provide eligible households with up to $15,000 in total assistance for paying retroactive/current mortgage, rent and utility payments, and the purchase of essential furnishings or appliances.

In order to be eligible for the program, and individual or family must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible alien.
• Household members must be legally or blood related.
• Have a financial distress directly related to housing which is the direct result of Hurricane Sandy.
• Not be currently receiving or eligible for Work First New Jersey/SSI Emergency Assistance.

Carter and her colleagues on the board recently authorized the release of $500,000 of the money to pre-authorized agencies, to speed up the process of disseminating the funds to eligible residents.

The agencies who will handle the day-to-day application and screening of applicants, as well as the disbursement funds are Cranford’s Catholic Charities, Homefirst in Plainfield, and the Urban League in Elizabeth.

For additional information contact one of the above-listed agencies directly.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter and Freeholders Alexander Mirabella (2nd R) and Bruce Bergen (R) presented Union County Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund checks to Springfield Deputy Mayor Richard Huber (2nd L) and Township Committee Member David Barnett. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites adults, 18 years and older, to a program, “Searching for Life on Mars,” at Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside. The lecture, supplemented with visual material, will take place on Thursday, November 7, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The program is free, but donations are welcome.

“The possibility of life on Mars is a subject that has captivated the public for many years,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “This lecture offers a window into the latest scientific thoughts on the subject.”

Harold Kozak, NASA Solar System Ambassador and Astronomy Adjunct Professor at Wagner College, sheds light on the intriguing topic of life on Mars. Whether or not life has ever existed on the Red Planet is a question that has fascinated people for ages. As more evidence is gathered by robots and studied by scientists, it becomes more likely that life may have occurred on this planet. Professor Kozak will examine this subject matter in further detail, presenting images and data gathered from missions to Mars.

For additional information about this lecture or other adult programs or upcoming events at Trailside, call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside.  Trailside Nature and Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road (at Coles Avenue) in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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Union County Surrogate James S. LaCorte will provide reliable guidance on wills, estates and related issues at a free seminar on Tuesday, October 29, at 2:00 p.m. at the Trailside Nature and Science Center auditorium in Mountainside, 452 New Providence Road. Walk-ins are welcome; no pre-registration is required. For more information call 908-527-4280 or visitucnj.org/surrogate. (credit: Jim Lowney/County of Union).

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Please join the County of Union online at ucnj.org, on Facebook at ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter attwitter.com/countyofunionnj.