Category: Public Info

Union County – In wake of Monday’s Boston Marathon tragedy, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders urges residents to be on alert for new and recycled internet scams that use the event as a means to disseminate malware and conduct financial fraud.

“When tragedies strike, we always want to make our best effort to stay informed, reach out, and give support,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter, “however, we are urging the public to use caution before visiting websites and clicking links related to the Boston Marathon bombing, and are asking people be vigilant to whom they are making donations.”

According to the Center for Internet Security, watch groups and cyber security experts have already identified multiple fake domains/websites and charity efforts taking advantage of the Boston Marathon bombing; and based on previous tragedies, more scams will follow in the coming days.

The following guidelines have been suggested for analyzing websites pertaining to the event, and those soliciting donations:

• Be cautious of emails/websites that claim to provide information because they may contain viruses.

• Do not open unsolicited (spam) emails, or click on the links/attachments contained in those messages.

• Never reveal personal or financial information in email.

• Do not go to untrusted or unfamiliar websites to view the event or information regarding it.

• Never send sensitive information over the Internet before checking a website’s security and confirming its legitimacy. Malicious websites may look identical to a legitimate site, but the URL may use a variation in spelling or a different domain (e.g., .com vs. .net)

For further information on cyber threats or internet security, visit the Center for Internet Security at www.CISecurity.org.

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 at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

Union County, NJ – The popular Union County Means Business (UCMB) free breakfast networking series continues on Wednesday, April 24 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. with a session titled “Business Development Opportunities,” at Snuffy’s Pantagis Renaissance, 250 Park Avenue in Scotch Plains.

“We’ve designed this session to help owners and managers get their businesses on firm footing, with reliable information and guidance from top professionals in their field,” said Christopher Hudak, Vice Chairman of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

UCMB is an initiative of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders in partnership with leading members of the business, non-profit, academic and government sectors.

Now in its second year, UCMB has grown to include a number of new programs including a full-day “Union County Women Mean Business” event scheduled for Wednesday, June 19 at the new Clubhouse in Union County’s Galloping Hill golf course in Kenilworth.

The April 24 session at Pantagis Renaissance will feature three breakout sessions on topics of particular interest to the business community:

• The Price is Right: The How To’s of Pricing Your Products and Services.
• Quickbooks 101.
• Financing Your Small Business.

Admission is free but seating is limited and pre-registration is required by visiting ucnj.org/ucmeansbusiness, or call the County Manager’s office at 908-527-4200.

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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.

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Community Renewal invite families with children of all ages and adults alike to celebrate wildlife and embrace environmental conservation at an exciting daylong event at  Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside on Sunday, April 28.

The annual “Wild Earth Fest” at Trailside will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. Admission is $4 per person; children 6 years and younger are free. The first 400 people to be admitted will receive free tree seedlings.

“Young children and nature lovers of all ages will have a field day at Trailside Nature and Science Center while they learn about the wildlife all around us,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Special programs will include music and audience participation as they encourage everyone to appreciate all living things.”

Earthcapades will perform “Planetary Circus” at 12 noon and 1:30 p.m. This entertaining and engaging presentation will teach ecology and earth science while educating about conserving natural resources, eliminating pollution and reducing waste. Earthcapades combines circus skills, music, storytelling, comedy and audience participation to inspire people to celebrate, respect and protect planet Earth.

At 3 p.m., the wonders of the natural world are within reach during “A Touch of Nature.” This program will introduce the audience to the world of animals, from the ordinary to the exotic. While blending excitement and surprise with understanding, the audience will have an opportunity to meet a variety of live animals, including birds, insects and reptiles.

Glenn “Wreckin Ball” Waldeck will delight the audience on a musical journey that touches on an array of topics and encourages participation through singing, dancing and other antics. His songs have been heard on NBC, PBS, CNN and the Discovery Channel.

Ongoing activities include Vinnie Reo and his wolves from Wolf Visions, who will dispel the myths of the “Big Bad Wolf” and explain their role in keeping a balanced ecosystem. Attendees also can meet a Trailside reptile every hour beginning at 11:45 a.m. Wild Earth Fest will offer ongoing Eco-Art activities, free face-painting and Recycling Olympics.

Refreshments and wildlife-related art and gifts will be available for purchase.

Winners of the Environmental Hero Awards and the Wildlife Photography Contest will be honored at 4:45 p.m.

For more information about “Wild Earth Fest” or any other upcoming programs or events at Trailside, please call 908-789-3670 or visit us online at www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside Nature and Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich (L), Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi and Union County Surrogate James LaCorte congratulate the winners of the 2013 “My County” poster contest sponsored by the Union County Constitutional Officers. The top winners of the contest, which is open only to fourth-graders, are (from 2nd left): Juliette Gringeri (1st place) from the Franklin School in Summit, Rachel Mack (2nd place) from the St. Bartholomew Academy in Scotch Plains, Amanda Beckley (3rd place) from St. Michael’s Elementary School in Cranford and Shannon Griffith (4th place) from St. John the Apostle Elementary School in Clark. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce a program for adults at Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside. “Gentle Beginner Yoga” will be offered on five consecutive Tuesdays, May 21 through June 18, from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. The fee for this program is $15 for Union County residents and $20 for out-of-county participants. Registration is recommended as space is limited. You may register for any one or all of the classes.

“At a time when many of us are experiencing stress in our lives, this class offers gentle exercises that can be practiced at home or work,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “You’ll feel relaxed and delightfully renewed after each class.”

The program is designed for those who enjoy Yoga, but have a hard time comfortably doing it on the floor. The class offers simple exercises that help relieve stress during the workday.

Join Claire M. Bay, yoga instructor certified by the Chopra Center in New York City, to learn breathing and meditation techniques to help soothe the mind and body. This gentle, beginner Yoga class will focus on easy, pain-free movements done in and around a chair. Participants are encouraged to bring a water bottle and beach-size towel.

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

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CRANFORD, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for personal, confidential personal documents will be available on Saturday, May 4, at Union County College in Cranford.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft and eliminate clutter in their homes,” said Freeholder Christopher Hudak, liaison to the Solid Waste Advisory Council. “It is a cost-effective way to assist our recycling efforts and it ties in with Union County’s other Go Green Initiatives.”

The May 4th shredding event will take place on the Cranford campus of Union County College, located at 1033 Springfield Avenue, opposite Nomahegan Park. NEXCUT Shredding of Teaneck will be shredding documents at the site from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., rain or shine. The shredding event will end before 1:00 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 then dumped onto a conveyor belt and shredded on site. Participants are welcome to view the shredding process via a closed-circuit television. The shredded documents are then recycled, shipped to paper mills and used as pulp. The next shredding event will take place Wednesday, May 15, at the Public Works yard 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 Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889 or visit us online at www.ucnj.org/recycle .

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MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce a program for adults at Trailside Nature and Science Center – “Essential Oils for Everyday Health and Wellness” – on Thursday, April 25, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. The fee for this program is $15 for Union County residents and $20 for out-of-county participants. Pre-registration is required, but walk-ins will be accommodated as space and materials permit.

“Add one more tool to your kit of techniques for designing a healthy lifestyle,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “This workshop will describe a new pathway to alternative solutions for health and wellness.”

Peggy DeArmond, a certified clinical aromatherapist, will lecture on ancient aromatic medicine of the plant kingdom and how it has provided natural health and wellness of body, mind and spirit throughout the ages. Ms. DeArmond will show how we can enhance our own well being and our family’s using these techniques. Participants will create their own aromatic spray to take home.

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 in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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CRANFORD – Applications are now available for the summer College for Teens program at Union County College. This program is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and is for Union County students who will be entering grades 9 – 12 in September. The program will run from July 15 – August 1 and will take place on the Cranford campus.

This is a free program designed to educate high school students about select career industries through engaging lessons and guest lecturers. The four career areas to be explored this summer will be Criminal Justice, Business, Healthcare, and Graphics/Website Design. This program also incorporates daily math and leadership sessions as well as recreational activities. The College for Teens program will help build confidence and encourage leadership development. On the last day of the program, the college hosts a completion ceremony for students where they also receive a certificate of program completion from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Union County College.

In order to apply, students must have a minimum of a C average in their classes and they must be entering grades 9 – 12 in September. It is also required that students have a letter of recommendation from a teacher or guidance counselor. Space is limited to 70 students and the application deadline is Friday, May 24, 2013.

The application is available online at www.ucc.edu/noncredit/ColKidTee.aspx and in the Continuing Education office at Union County College. For more information, visit the Continuing Education website or call (908) 709-7600.

Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich swore in Father John McCrone as the Chaplain of the Union County Sheriff’s Office on April 12 in Elizabeth. Lt. William Bukowski held the Bible. Father McCrone is the pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Mountainside. He also serves as chaplain for the Mountainside Police Department and the Union County PBA Conference. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (L) presents a resolution to Ella Shaykevich of Westfield congratulating her on being named Public Health Nurse of the Year by the New Jersey Association of Public Nurse Administrators. Shaykevich works in the Union County Office of Health Management. They are joined by Union County Public Safety Director Andrew Moran (C), Union County Health Officer Virginia Franco and Union County Manager Alfred Faella. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)