Category: Public Info

Citing an awareness of the growing national trend in property related fraud, Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi has taken the initiative to provide Union County property owners with a Property Fraud Alert Notification system. The new system, launched today, enables Union County property owners to respond quickly to unauthorized, potentially fraudulent activity involving their property. The program is completely free for Union County property owners.

“When it comes to property fraud, knowledge is power,” said Rajoppi. “The new Property Fraud Alert system will enable you to identify a potential problem as quickly as possible, so that you can re-establish your property rights promptly and with relatively little expense.”

“Nationwide, property fraud is the largest growing white collar crime according to the FBI,” said Rajoppi. “It is especially insidious because seniors are often the target, and the victims often have no idea that their property rights have been compromised until it’s too late.” 

Property owners in Union County can subscribe to the free Property Fraud Alert system by visiting the Property Fraud Alert system online at propertyfraudalert.com or on the phone by calling 1-800-728-3858, and providing their name, or their business name. Property owners may also register additional names free of charge, to cover common misspellings.

Subscribers will be notified when the name they have registered is used in any recording activities within the office.  When subscribing, the user will have the option of receiving the alert via phone or email.  All subscriber information will remain confidential.  Users with common names may receive multiple alerts.

Information received through the alerts can be verified by visiting the Union County Clerk’s property search website at clerk.ucnj.org or by calling the Property Fraud Alert call center at 1-800-728-3858. The call center is available from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.  Starting October 1, 2015, the call center will offer expanded hours Monday through Thursday, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Friday hours will remain 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

“This program protects consumers, offers an extra safety net and provides early notice that someone may be committing fraud against them,” explains Rajoppi.  While the Property Fraud Alert system does not prevent fraud, it provides an early warning to the potential of fraudulent activity so that property owners can alert local law enforcement.  Fraud is a criminal offense.

For information about all County Clerk programs and services, visit online at ucnj.org/county-clerk or call 908-527-4787.

Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan congratulates new Sheriff’s Captains Melissa Fernandez and William Bukowski during their promotion ceremony at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. Captain Fernandez is the commander of the Crime Scene Unit and Captain Bukowski is the commander of the Office of Professional Standards. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County’s celebration of Early American life featuring music, children’s crafts, games, demonstrations and displays, a petting zoo the Scarecrow Contest much more. Rain or shine event.
Trailside Nature & Science Center
11am – 5pm | Sunday, September 27th

$4 per person
Ages 7 and under are free
Fees are charged for some activities

To learn more about voting by mail, click here.

Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi and Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Bruce H. Bergen hosted a New Jersey Notary Training Seminar at the County Administration Building in Elizabeth. Vice Chairman Bergen, Esq. gave a presentation on law and the responsibilities of a Notary.

The Notary Public course is a new service being offered by the Office of the Union County Clerk. It is designed to instruct Notaries Public on how to perform their duties with confidence and diligence. Notaries will learn about the new online application process and the legal aspects of performing the duties of a Notary Public in an effort to avoid liability issues.

The Union County Clerk’s Office administers Oaths of Office to commissioned Notaries at two convenient locations in Westfield and Elizabeth. The Elizabeth office, located at 2 Broad Street, Room 114, is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Westfield Annex Office, located in the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield, is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

For more information, call the Union County Clerk’s Office, 908-527-4787.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Voting is set to continue this week for Union County’s first-ever Art Outside the Box program; the last round of voting, for the Elizabeth edition of the program garnered over 9,000 votes.

The selections available for this round will cover traffic control boxes in Plainfield at the intersections of South Avenue and Terrill Road, Randolph Road and Park Avenue, Park Avenue and 7th Street, and South Avenue and Leland Avenue.

Participants can vote online at www.ucnj.org/artoutsidethebox/vote. Voting will be available until Tuesday, September 29^th.

Art Outside the Box is a new county-wide creative placemaking project created to support Union County visual artists by offering a nontraditional exhibition opportunity that broadens and diversifies public exposure to art murals.

“We are extremely excited to see that our residents are actively participating in choosing the aesthetic that will symbolize and represent their neighborhoods,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “We can’t wait to see how many votes will come in for this, and future editions of the program.”

The theme for the 2015 Art Outside The Box  program was diversity, and art was sought that not only represented the community at-large, but that was uplifting, colorful, and appropriate for people of all ages. 

Offered as part of Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh’s Building A Community of the Arts initiative, a total of thirteen original artworks will be selected to cover traffic control boxes in Elizabeth, Linden, Rahway, and Plainfield, NJ. Each artwork will be reproduced on a special vinyl adhesive film and professionally applied to the exterior of the pre-selected traffic control boxes. 

Funded by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, details about the project are available online at www.ucnj.org/artoutsidethebox.

For additional information please contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 908-558-2550.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh and Freeholders Vernell Wright and Alexander Mirabella present a resolution to 17-year-old Alyssa Chacon of Union recognizing and congratulating her for her appearance on the Food Network’s national television show “Chopped Teen Tournament.” The Benedictine Academy senior competed as a chef on the cooking contest show.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites elementary and high school teachers, as well as local community groups, to register for a free, 30-45-minute in-house science presentation that explains watershed and environmental concepts in a fun and meaningful way.

“Watersheds are important to our communities because they sustain life in many different ways,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “This free program offers teachers, students, and community members the opportunity to discover how human behavior can impact the land and waterways around them.”

Union County and AmeriCorp bring the in-house, interactive watershed presentations to teachers and students in the classroom and to other community group locations.

Since 1999, these interactive presentations have been receiving positive reviews from participants. Students and teachers enjoy participating in the hands-on demonstration that includes a three-dimensional topographic land use model.

The program offers easy, practical solutions that everyone can implement to reduce non-point source pollution and improve water quality. Examples of ways the average person can help include eliminating or minimizing the use of pesticides on lawns, picking up pet waste, and not feeding geese.

The free presentations are offered by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation in conjunction with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and the AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador Program. Also, the ambassador program offers stream assessment training for individuals and groups. To schedule for a free presentation or training, call Cynthia Romero, Watershed Ambassador for Watershed Management Area 7 at (908) 789-3209.

ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that 54 artists, historians and local non-profit organizations will receive funding through the 2015 Union County HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant Program.

Recognizing the importance of culture and the arts to our economy and quality of life, the Union County Freeholders established the HEART Grant Program in 1998. This innovative program supports projects related to history, the arts and humanities, and it demonstrates a commitment to the artists and community organizations of Union County. Total funding for this year’s grants is $100,000.

“The recipients of HEART Grants are a wonderful mix of creative individuals – composers and writers, historians, visual artists, musicians and dancers – plus arts, history and other cultural organizations and civic groups,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “The response to the program has been exciting ever since its inception.”

“The services provided by these artists, scholars and organizations directly benefit the residents of our county and increase appreciation for the arts, our history, and the humanities,” Freeholder Jalloh added. “These cultural assets are a vital part of community life, well being, economic development and cultural heritage tourism in Union County.”

Artists, educators, civic and historical non-profit organizations that want information about next year’s HEART Grant Program can 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: culturalinfo@ucnj.org

Union County HEART Grants Awarded 2015 (Total $100,000)

• Brian Beste, Fanwood, $1,000, presenting art and photography workshops;
• Candace Waller, Fanwood, $900, providing free dance classes;
• Danielle Linares Hale, Fanwood, $1,000, presenting a community arts festival;
• Kenneth Sack, Summit, $800, providing an arts-in-education program for Summit;
• Lesl Harker, New Providence, $1,000, presenting Irish music workshop and concert;
• Lowell Schantz, Westfield, $1,000, presenting two free jazz concerts in Senior facilities;
• Marjan Nirou Saniee, New Providence, $750, providing a series of paintings and exhibits;
• Michelle Nelson, Elizabeth, $800, providing entrepreneurial talks for at risk youth & adults;
• Paula Borenstein, Elizabeth, $1,000, producing a historic survey of Elizabeth;
• Valerie Graham, Roselle, $1,000, presenting free crafts workshops for children and seniors;
• Arts Guild New Jersey, Rahway, $2,300, presenting arts education for children and adults;
• Borough of Fanwood, $2,500, presenting a Fanwood Cultural Arts Performance Series;
• Borough of Roselle Park, Casano Community Center, $1,000, presenting a free concert;
• Brand New Day, Elizabeth, $2,000, presenting traditional Caribbean music and dance workshops;
• Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, Union, $2,000, presenting a performance with UCAPA at the Vo-Tech black box theater;
• CASA of Union County, Elizabeth, $2,500, presenting arts workshops for child advocates;
• Central Presbyterian Church, Summit, $1,800, providing classical music performances;
• City of Rahway, $2,500, presenting a collaborative community art project;
• Cranford Housing Board, Cranford, $1,000, presenting “Three Po’ Tenors” concert for senior housing residents;
• Dreamcatchers Repertory Theatre, Summit, $2,350  presenting NJ premiere of “Sister Play”;
• duCret School of Art, Plainfield, $1,000, presenting a performing arts program for children grades K-12;
• Elizabeth Avenue Partnership, Elizabeth, $2,000, presenting Hispanic Heritage Month concert;
• Frontiers International Plainfield Area Club, Plainfield, $750, presenting intergenerational lecture series;
• Groundwork Elizabeth, Inc., Elizabeth, $2,500, presenting 13^th Annual Tour de Elizabeth bicycle tour;
• Historical Society of Plainfield, Plainfield, $2,280, providing history education programs;
• Institute of Music for Children, Elizabeth, $2,500, providing arts and culture classes to young children;
• Josephine’s Place, Elizabeth, $2,500, presenting arts programs for immigrant women;
• Kenilworth Historical Society, Kenilworth, $2,000, preparations for interpretive signage;
• Language & Enrichment Center INC, Scotch Plains, $1,500, presenting performances by preschool children of Italian winter songs;
• Life Drawing Studio Group, Fanwood, $2,000, providing visual arts workshops;
• Mother Seton Regional High School, Clark, $1,500, providing theatrical programs for children;
• Music for All Seasons, Scotch Plains, $2,500, presenting music programs for U.C. Juvenile Detention Center;
• Musical Club of Westfield, Scotch Plains, $2,000, presenting an original composition in concert;
• National Council of Jewish Women, U.C. Section, Elizabeth, $2,500, providing two intergenerational programs: a big band swing dance and a jazz band;
• New Jersey Festival Orchestra, Westfield, $2,000, presenting live concert “Home for the Holidays”;
• New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra, Berkeley Heights, $2,500, presenting a community concert;
• New Jersey Workshop for the Arts, Westfield, $2,000, presenting event for “Music Connection” for special needs children;
• Occupational Center of U.C., Roselle, $2,500, presenting art education classes for people with disabilities;
• Overlook Hospital Foundation, Summit, $2,500, presenting “Paint Your Pain” healing arts program;
• Plainfield Division of Parks and Recreation, $2,000, presenting a historical Kwanza celebration with speakers, music and dance;
• Premiere Stages at Kean University, Union, $2,500, presenting the play “Liberty Live”;
• Restore Ministries, Inc., Elizabeth, $2,500, providing classes for youth literary and multimedia study;
• SAGE Eldercare, Inc., Summit, $2,500, presenting free musical performances to older adults;
• Saint Theresa School, Kenilworth, $1,520, providing two student theatrical productions;
• Springfield Free Public Library, Springfield, $2,500, producing two museum exhibits;
• Temple Beth O’r/Beth Torah, Clark, $1,250, presenting a free Jewish humor program;
• The Theater Project, Union, $2,500, presenting theatrical performances in Union;
• Union Township Community Action Organization, Inc., Union $2,500, presenting Senior Choral performances in nursing homes;
• Union Township Historical Society, $1,000, presenting history programs for students;
• United Youth of NJ, Elizabeth, $2,500, presenting a play about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.;
• Visual Arts Center of NJ, Summit $2,500, presenting a visual arts program for older adults;
• Westfield Neighborhood Council, Westfield, $1,000, presenting dance workshops;
• Women in Conversation, Plainfield, $2,500, presenting reading groups for students and seniors;
• YM-YWHA of Union County, Union, $2,500, presenting the “Y Sunday Brunch Series”.