Category: Public Info

As Flag Day approaches on Friday, June 14, Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi reminds residents that special containers are available at her offices in Elizabeth and Westfield for the collection of torn or tattered American flags for their proper, respectful retirement.

“According to the U.S. Flag Code, when a flag is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “My office assists Union County residents by collecting unserviceable flags and making sure that they are destroyed in a dignified way by a veterans group.”

Special barrels for flag collection are available at the County Clerk’s main office in the Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, Room 115, in Elizabeth; and at the County Clerk’s Annex, 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield.

The Elizabeth office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Westfield office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays.

For more information about the Union County Clerk’s flag retirement collection program, please call (908) 527-4787.

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ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that a selection of prize-winning art work by Union County employees and their family members is on display through July 15 in the Freeholders Gallery, located on the 6th floor of the Union County Administration Building, Elizabethtown Plaza at Rahway Avenue, in Elizabeth. The gallery is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays.

The art display presents a select sampling of pieces from among the 144 creations judged at the recent 12thannual “National Arts Program Exhibit and Contest for Union County Employees and Their Families.” The exhibit and contest is a result of a partnership with the National Arts Program Foundation which provides prize money and valuable support to display the work of talented artists.

“The artistic talent of our Union County employees and their family members is very impressive,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “We have artists who excel in painting, photography, and other visual arts, and we are proud to put their work on display. We thank the National Arts Program Foundation and Elizabethtown Gas Company for hosting the May 8th awards reception and providing gallery space for Union County employees and their families to display their talent in the original exhibit.”

Listed alphabetically by town are all the award-winning employee artists (or their family members) and the awards they won at the original exhibit and contest. Not all of the award-winning pieces are able to be displayed at the Freeholders Gallery exhibit.

Berkeley Heights: Blair Wagner (Honorable Mention, Teen 13-18). Clark: Susan Anderson (Honorable Mention, Professional). Colonia: Andrea Moore (First Place, Amateur). Cranford: Betty Ann Kelly (Honorable Mention, Intermediate); Colleen Rodgers (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under); Angelina Spricigo (Second Place, Youth 12 and Under); and Dianna Strom (Third Place, Intermediate). Edison: Ruth Brown, (Honorable Mention, Professional); Richa Wadhawan (First Place, Youth 12 and Under); Rishabh Wadhawan (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under); and Sanjeev Wadhawan (Honorable Mention, Amateur).Elizabeth: Gianna Carrasco (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under); John Rhodes (Second Place, Intermediate); and Shane Rhodes (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under). Garwood: Kelly Sullivan (Honorable Mention, Teen 13-18). Fanwood: Giselle Valdes (Honorable Mention, Intermediate).Hillsborough: James Caratozzolo (Honorable Mention, Amateur). Jackson: Grace Hagemann (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under). Kenilworth: Matthew DiDonato (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under).Linden: Angelito David (Second Place, Professional); Donna Farrell (Honorable Mention, Amateur); Joseph Hickey (First Place, Teen 13-18); Christine Marti-Millward (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under); Adrianna Rendon (Honorable Mention, Teen 13-18); Victoria Rendon (Third Place, Youth 12 and Under); and Audrey Strano (Best of Show, Intermediate). Martinsville: Kayla Stasil (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under); and Thomas Stasil (Third Place, Professional). Old Bridge: Allana McQueen (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under); and Anthony McQueen (Honorable Mention, Teen 13-18). Phillipsburg: Angelina Saggese (Honorable Mention, Teen 13-18). Plainfield: Bridget McGuire (Honorable Mention, Teen 13-18); Molly McGuire (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under); Raymond Morgan, (Third Place, Amateur); Faith Williamson (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under); and Trinity Williamson (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under). Sayreville: Ara Herrera (Honorable Mention, Teen 13-18). Somerset: Tiina Nummela (Second Place, Amateur). Union: Meghan Gelcius (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under); and Stephanie Kakaletris (First Place, Intermediate). Wall: Mikayla Herbert (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under).Waretown: Jennifer LaVeglia (First Place, Professional). Westfield: Jimmy McCutcheon (Third Place, Youth 12 and Under); Angelo Paparella (Honorable Mention, Intermediate); Sabrina Paparella (Honorable Mention, Teen 13-18); and Victoria Paparella (Honorable Mention, Youth 12 and Under).

Additional support for this event was provided by a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Exhibits at the Freeholders Gallery are coordinated by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.

For more information about this exhibit and other programs and services related to the arts and Union County history, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth NJ 07202. Telephone: (908) 558-2550. NJ Relay users dial 711. Or send E-mail to: culturalinfo@ucnj.org

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ELIZABETH, NJ – Union County will replace culverts in Berkeley Heights, Roselle and Springfield this year, projects totaling $1.33 million. Work on all three is expected to being this summer.

Culverts allow water to flow under a road, and differ from bridges only because they are smaller.

“People don’t often notice culverts, but they are essential to keep traffic flowing efficiently,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “County inspectors check out every bridge and culvert to ensure their safety and recommend replacement when needed.”

In Berkeley Heights, the county will replace a culvert at the intersection of Valley Road and Glenside Avenue where the Green Brook runs under the roadway and connects to the Blue Brook a short distance downstream.

It was built in 1933 and on average, handles over 6,300 cars a day. It is four feet wide, and a 42 foot section of roadway will be removed for the project.

PM Construction of Hillside, NJ was chosen as the contractor on the project. It is projected to cost $436,107. Construction should begin this summer.

In Roselle, a culvert at the intersection of First Avenue and Locust Street in Roselle will also be replaced. That intersection handles over 16,730 cars a day. It was built in 1920.

The West Brook, a tributary of Morses Creek, runs under the roadway, and much of that waterway runs underground in that section of Roselle. The culvert is ten feet wide and a 50 feet section of roadway will be removed for the project.

PM Construction of Hillside, NJ was also chosen as the contractor on the project. It is projected to cost $377,828. Construction should begin this summer.

In Springfield, a culvert on Hillside Avenue, near Ann Place, will also be replaced.

Built in 1926, the culvert is 12 feet long and stands roughly 5 feet high from the streambed. About 40 feet of the roadway will be removed and replaced for the project. Since wildlife uses this river, a natural streambed will be recreated through the inside of the culvert. A tributary of the Rahway River runs under the roadway there.

Colonnelli Brothers of Hackensack, NJ was chosen as the contractor on the project. It is projected to cost $516,265. Construction should begin this summer.

With a land area of just over 100 square miles, Union County has more than 172 miles of county-owned and maintained roads and more than 470 bridges and culverts.

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SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for confidential personal documents will be available on Sunday, June 23, at the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools campus in Scotch Plains.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft and eliminate clutter in their homes,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman 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 June 23rd shredding event will take place at the Vo-Tech campus located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. NEXCUT Shredding of Teaneck 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 Thursday, July 11, at Rahway River Park, off St. Georges Ave., in Rahway.

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 .

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Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich greeted Union County Sheriff’s officers and Union County Corrections officers before they joined the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics New Jersey in Elizabeth. The Torch Run is a statewide campaign coordinated and managed by all divisions of law enforcement officers and officials from throughout the state. For more information, visit www.njtorchrun.org. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County –Spaces are still available for the Union County Women Mean Business Summit, which is set to take place on Wednesday, June 19th at 11:00 a.m. at the Club House at Galloping Hill Golf Course, located at 3 Golf Drive in Kenilworth.

Expanding on the popular Union County Means Business networking series, the Women’s Summit is expected to bring together women from the far reaches of Union County and beyond to enjoy a day of motivation, education and networking.

The program will include breakout sessions on topics such as starting a business, re-entering the workforce, enhancing your business through social media, breaking the glass ceiling, and networking; and will feature a keynote address from Karen Kessler, Chairman of the Board of Atlantic Health and founding partner of the public relations firm Evergreen Partners, Inc.

Lunch will be served and a cocktail reception (cash bar) will close out the day. There will also be raffles and door prizes including a chance to win roundtrip airfare for two, courtesy of SouthWest Airlines.

For a full schedule of events or to register for the Summit, visit https://ucnj.org/ucmb-register; a $25 registration fee is applicable, and pre-registration is required. Spaces are limited and registration will be closing soon.

The Union County Women Mean Business Summit is 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. Additional sponsors include SouthWest Airlines, PSE&G, Brown & Brown Metro, Inc., Suplee Clooney & Co., The Alternative Press, Jude Connally, and Union Center National Bank.

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SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ – The County of Union will sponsor a recycling event for electronic equipment on Saturday, June 22, so Union County residents can get rid of unwanted computers, televisions and other electronic equipment in an environmentally proper manner.

The special E-cycling event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Union County Vo-Tech Schools campus located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains.

All residents of Union County are eligible to participate at no cost. There is a limit of six electronic items per car.

“Computer monitors, old televisions and other electronic devices are the source of a considerable amount of dangerous material, including lead, mercury, cadmium and PCBs – and it is unlawful to dispose of them with the regular garbage,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Christopher Hudak, liaison to the Union County Solid Waste Advisory Board. “Up to 95 percent of most electronic appliances can be recycled. This is a responsible way to keep hazardous heavy metals out of our environment.”

Electronic equipment that will be accepted on June 22 includes computer monitors, hard drives, modems, keyboards, CPU’s, mice, printers, scanners, speakers, televisions, tablets and e-readers, VCR’s, fax machines, telephones, circuit boards, CD’s, DVD’s and video cassettes.

All that residents need to do is drive to the site with their unwanted electronic equipment. Workers at the site will unload the vehicles.

Pre-registration is not required for this special Saturday collection.

Refrigerators, washers and dryers, microwaves, and air conditioners will not be accepted, but they are accepted at Union County’s Scrap Metal Recycling Program.

A complete list of the materials that will be accepted on June 22 is available at the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning website: www.ucnj.org/recycle.

The electronics collection will be held rain or shine, for Union County residents only and not for businesses. Proof of Union County residency is required.

In addition to the special June 22 recycling event sponsored by the County of Union, there are local businesses as well as 16 municipalities that provide E-cycling opportunities for residents. Visit the websitewww.ucnj.org/recycle or call your municipal recycling coordinator for more computer and electronics recycling options.

Goodwill and Dell have teamed up to recycle computers. Goodwill in Union County is located at 126 Route 22 West, Springfield 07081, next to Macy’s Furniture. Call Goodwill at 973-912-0156 for more details or visit their web site: www.reconnectpartnership.com.

Best Buy stores now offer electronics recycling, including TVs, computer monitors, DVD players and other consumer electronics. Visit their website (www.bestbuy.com/) for store locations, or call toll-free for information about electronics recycling: 1-888-237-8289.

Staples also offers a computer recycling program seven days a week. For more information, visit the Staples web site for store locations: www.staples.com.

Waste Management accepts “covered electronics” (televisions, monitors, computers, etc.) at  629-647 Amboy Ave., Elizabeth 07201, Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 908-629-9270.

An alternative drop-off program for recycling electronics equipment is available Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at Newtech Recycling, located at 600-A Apgar Drive, Somerset NJ 08873; 732-564-3110. Visit www.newtechrecycling.com .

For more information about recycling events, please call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908- 654-9889.

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MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – Did you know that your group or organization can reserve a trail ride on horseback in the Watchung Reservation? Union County’s Watchung Stable invites birthday parties, scout groups, youth groups, block associations and all other groups to consider trying this unique recreational opportunity.

“Horseback riding in the Watchung Reservation is a real treat,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “What better way to experience nature as well as get a little exercise than on a horse in Union County’s own beautiful forest? Bishop, Brutus and Happy are some of the horses just waiting to take you for a leisurely walk.”

You can call now to book a special private ride for groups of up to 15 people who are nine years of age and older. These rides need to be set up in advance at a mutually convenient time, on weekdays and weekends. The cost of a one-hour ride is the horse rental fee (Union County residents $32; out-of- county riders $45 per person) and an additional single fee of $32 for one of the Stable’s riding instructors to accompany you. Public trail rides are also offered on Saturdays at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 and 3:00 p.m., first-come first-served.

For younger riders under nine years old, Watchung Stable also offers lead lines on Sundays from 9:00 to 10:45 a.m. Lead lines are also available on Saturday afternoons and during the week (weather permitting) and are accommodated on a first-come first-served basis. The cost for a half-hour lead line is $18 for Union County residents and $26 for out-of-county riders.

Trail rides and lead lines are held at Watchung Stable, located at 1160 Summit Lane in Mountainside. Office hours are 9:00 a.m. – noon and 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

For further information, call (908) 789-3665 during the normal office hours or email questions tostablequestions@ucnj.org.

“TROOPER OF THE YEAR” –  Courtney Maier, 14, of Mountainside, was awarded the “Trooper of the Year” trophy and medal for accumulating the most points during the 2012 Troop season at Watchung Stable in Mountainside. Courtney has been riding horses for five years. She received her trophy from stable manager Rachel Bechtold during Watchung Stable’s 80th Anniversary Spring Troop Horse Show on May 24-26. Watchung Stable, a facility of the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal, is administered by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. For more information regarding equestrian programs, group trail rides, tours or birthday parties at Watchung Stable, call (908) 789-3665, or e-mail questions tostablequestions@ucnj.org.

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – Summer is just around the corner and Union County’s Watchung Stable in Mountainside is busy preparing for the start of Summer Camp for young equestrians.

“Horseback riding in the Watchung Reservation has been a local treat for generations,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Our Summer Camp program at Watchung Stable is a great way to learn how to ride. It has been in existence since 1935, and I am proud to say that more than 40,000 boys and girls have participated in this wonderful program.”

All applicants must be nine years of age or older. Classes are based upon riding ability as determined by the Watchung Stable management. Applicants with previous experience may be asked to demonstrate their riding ability in order to be placed in the appropriate class. Classes are held Tuesdays through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There are nine weeks to choose from starting June 18th and ending the week of August 13th. Summer Camp will culminate with the Summer Camp Horse Show on August 17 in which all campers are eligible to participate.

During the camp, participants will have a chance to feel what it is like to own their own horse for a week. Grooming, tacking up, ring riding, trail riding and general care of horses will all be taught to each rider. A camp T-shirt will be given to every participant.

The cost to participate for Union County residents is $385 per week. Helmets and heeled boots are required and must be provided at the rider’s expense. Registration forms and fees must be submitted in-person at the Watchung Stable office, 1160 Summit Lane in Mountainside. Office hours are 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Watchung Stable is a facility of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. For further information, and to obtain registration materials, call 908-789-3665 or email: stablequestions@ucnj.org