Category: Public Info

Union County, NJ — The Deserted Village of Feltville will be open to visitors on Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20 with special history events featuring free hayrides, colonial games, children’s activities, guided tours and a special presentation on the houses that make up the village.

The Deserted Village is located in Union County’s Watchung Reservation. It will be open from noon to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20 as part of the Four Centuries In A Weekend celebration of historical sites across Union County. 

Special events during the weekend include the debut performance of Storied Boards at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Storied Boards is a one-woman show through which four houses share their memories and experiences of being and becoming homes. Through their stories of coming home, being home, missing home and going home, they reveal secrets, dreams, celebrations and sorrows.

“We are happy to be hosting the debut performance of Storied Boards at the Deserted Village of Feltville,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “Ms. Gaulke’s research skills and talent as an actress and storyteller have been bringing historical figures to life in an entertaining and educational way. I am intrigued to see how she will now bring the fireplace in House #7 to life as well. De la Selva’s murals are integral to plans now being drawn for restoration of that house, and we would love for people to know more about them.”

Throughout the weekend, visitors can take self-guided tours or enjoy a narrated hayride that runs continuously during the weekend, rolling past most of the buildings and through the grounds of the village.

The ghost of David Felt will be available at the General Store to converse with visitors, describing the factory town he built in 1845 to house a printing mill and the 175 people who worked in his mill, on his farm, his store and school. At 2:00 p.m. each day, Mr. Felt will provide a 20-minute long armchair tour on the porch of the store.

The General Store will also feature historical exhibits along with nostalgic candy, snacks, toys and games for sale. Picnic tables are available for those packing a lunch.

At 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, a special archaeology activity will enable visitors to learn how an “X” on the ground yielded a great assemblage of artifacts at the site, and also revealed an interesting social history. The activity will be led by Matthew Tomaso, Dr. Richard Veit, and Carissa Scarpa, professional archaeologists who have conducted archaeological investigations at the Deserted Village.

Another highlight is the beautifully restored circa-1882 Masker’s Barn carriage house. Outside the Barn, visitors can sit with the ghost of Frank Malloy and roast marshmallows at the campfire ring.

“Storied Boards” was written by and will be performed by Laurie MacDonnell-Gaulke, an actress/storyteller who specializes in creating historical portrayals of real people with real stories to tell.  Using primary sources whenever possible, she strives to present each character in a historically, culturally and socially accurate manner.

With “Storied Boards,” Laurie has chosen parts of each of the four houses to be the characters. One of those houses is a former Feltville mill workers’ house in which Roberto de la Selva, a Nicaraguan artist, painted murals on the plaster walls in 1927.  The fireplace in House #7 will share tales of events to which it has borne witness.

All activities for the Four Centuries weekend are rain or shine, and most are free of charge.

Enter the Deserted Village via Cataract Hollow Road, off of Glenside Avenue (GPS 1 Cataract Hollow Road, Berkeley Heights).  Wear warm clothes and sturdy walking shoes.

For additional information about the Deserted Village of Feltville/Glenside Park, visit ucnj.org/dv.

Information about over 30 other Four Centuries in a Weekend sites is available from the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs online at ucnj.org/4c.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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Mountainside, NJ – A section of the Watchung Reservation Sensory Trail will be closed from November 12 through 15 due to routine scheduled maintenance.  

The Sensory Trail, which officially opened in August 2018, is a 0.3 mile ADA accessible loop with a central gazebo. It is designed to provide sensory stimulation and interaction while meeting the physical, social and cognitive needs of different age groups.

For more information, please call 908-789-3670 or visit 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.

Union County, NJ – This weekend, on Saturday October 19 and Sunday October 20, Union County celebrates the annual Four Centuries in a Weekend history event, when dozens of historic sites and museums open their doors to the public free of charge, from noon to 5:00 p.m. each day. Many of the sites are within walking distance of mass transit routes, and this year’s event will once again feature special trolley and shuttle bus service to some of the sites.

“Four Centuries is a good opportunity to learn about the rich history of our county, and it is also a chance to explore some of the transportation alternatives available to County residents and visitors,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.

Kean University will provide free trolley service to the Liberty Hall Museum historic site on October 19 and 20.

The Borough of Mountainside will provide a free shuttle from the Westfield train station to the Deserted Village, where Union County is hosting tours and activities for young and old alike, including free hayrides and children’s games.

The Mountainside shuttle will also stop at the Miller-Cory Museum, the Reeve Cultural and History Center, and Mountainside’s Deacon Hetfield House.

Mass transit options, by rail and bus, are available through NJ Transit.

For complete details about Four Centuries In A Weekend visit online at ucnj.org/4C (scroll down for transit and shuttle information), or contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 908-558-2550 (NJ Relay Users dial 711) or culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

The Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs is a division of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation. More information about all Parks and Recreation activities is available online at ucnj.org/parks, or call 908-527-4900.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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Union County, NJ — The Union County Division of Emergency Medical Services is hiring per diem Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). Interested applicants can attend an open application event on Thursday, October 24 at 6:00 PM, and on Saturday, October 26, at 9:00 AM.

Prospective candidates can submit their application and sit for a pre-employment written test, skill stations and interview, all in the same visit. Registered candidates will receive additional details by email. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

Please visit ucnj.org/ems-apps to pre-register and for additional details.

For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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­­­Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi announces that  sample ballots for the November 5 General Election can be viewed and downloaded on the County Clerk’s elections website unioncountyvotes.com, and through the Union County Votes app, a free download for all mobile devices.

Ms. Rajoppi’s office also mails sample ballots to every registered voter after the close of voter registration, approximately 10 days before the election.

“The website and app offer a convenient way for voters to familiarize themselves with their ballot, even before they receive their copy in the mail,” said Rajoppi.

Voters with any questions about their sample ballots can call the County Clerk’s Elections Division, 908-527-4996 or email the Elections Division at ucvote@ucnj.org.

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

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Visit the County Clerk’s new elections website, unioncountyvotes.com.

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Union County, NJ – Union County residents and other travelers are reminded that the National Weather Service has declared a flash flood watch for Union County and the region.

Please exercise caution during the evening commute. A total rainfall of 2-3 inches is expected with some locations possibly seeing higher amounts.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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The Union County Prosecutor’s Office is joining forces with the Union County Human Relations Commission to host a forum on elder abuse prevention as part of a continuing series of public events presented as part of the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General’s 21-County, 21^st-Century Community Policing Project, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Commission Co-Chairs Mark Spivey and Jo Ann Hamilton jointly announced Wednesday.

The forum is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 28, at Union Public Library, 1980 Morris Avenue in Union. Admission is free, and citizens of all ages, caregivers, as well as local representatives of social service agencies and other organizations serving seniors, are encouraged to attend.  

A panel of subject matter experts will serve as the centerpiece of the forum, with Prosecutor’s Office Special Prosecutions Unit Supervisor Melissa Spagnoli moderating. Panel participants will also include New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs Outreach Director Melanie Hazim, New Jersey Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Detective Danielle Han, Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection Director Frances Benson, and Peter Jacob, LSW, of Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey, which is co-sponsoring the forum along with the Union Public Library. Jacob is also the Program Manager for Project CEASE: Combating Elder Abuse through Services and Education, developed by the Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey and the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ to promote education about elder abuse. Also appearing on the panel will be Prosecutor’s Office Assistant Prosecutor Patricia Cronin and Detective Dennis Donovan, both of whom have years of experience investigating and prosecuting incidents of elder abuse.

“Attorney General Gurbir Grewal has shined a light on elder abuse here in New Jersey. Often, victims of these heinous crimes suffer in silence. When law enforcement, service providers, and community leaders join together to publicly discuss prevention of elder abuse crimes, we break that silence,” said Ruotolo.

“This program is designed to provide inspirational and interactive dialogue to identify issues, strategies, and resources to protect our senior citizens from the debilitating results of elder abuse, which can range from financial loss to physical and emotional injury, pain, anguish, and even death,” Hamilton added.

Elder abuse can present in the form of physical, emotional, psychological, and/or sexual abuse, and it can also feature patterns of exploitation, neglect, confinement, and/or abandonment, according to the National Council on Aging, which reports that while 1 in 10 American adults age 60 or over have experienced such abuse, it is estimated that only 1 in every 14 cases is actually reported to authorities. Perpetrators can include children, other family members, and spouses, as well as staff at nursing homes, assisted living centers, and other facilities.

Light refreshments will be served at the forum. Free parking is available, and the facility is wheelchair-accessible. Pre-registration is requested, but not required; register online at www.ucnj.org/uchrc, or for more information, please call 908-527-4621.

Union County has a High Wind Warning until 6pm tonight (Thursday).  Highest winds could be late morning/early afternoon.  Wind Gusts could be as high as 50 MPH. 

Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to partner with Singer & Fedun, LLC and Morgan Stanley to present their “Are Your Rights at Risk?” Seminar scheduled for Tuesday, October 22 at 6:30 p.m. at The Tavern at Ash Brook Golf Course (1210 Raritan Rd, Scotch Plains).

Seating is limited for the free seminar and preregistration is required online at ucnj.org/lgbtq.

“While society at large increasingly supports LGBTQ equality, the laws protecting LGBTQ people and their families are inconsistent,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “The Freeholder Board is proud to host this free seminar to increase awareness of legal protections and family and individual planning for LGBTQ families, individuals and allies.” 

The evening seminar presentation will cover important life and family planning topics that directly affect the LGBTQ community including marriage equality, protecting non-traditional family structures, portability of parental rights, estate planning, tax law, end-of-life issues, legal concerns facing trans/intersex communities, and a Q&A opportunity to speak with the presenters Bill Singer, Esq. & John Passante, Esq. of Singer & Fedun, LLC and Kate Sweeney, CFP, CIMA & DW Kim from Morgan Stanley.

“There is a general assumption that the 2015 marriage equality ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court solved the equality issues for LGBTQ people,” said Freeholder Rebecca Williams, liaison to the Union County LGBTQ Ad Hoc Committee. “The reality is that, historically, Federal and State laws have been – and in many instances still are – written for a heteronormative society and result in intentional or unintentional consequences that leave LGBTQ families and individuals vulnerable.”​

Organized by the Office of LGBTQ Affairs in partnership with Singer & Fedun, LLC and Morgan Stanley, the mission of the seminar is to encourage LGBTQ individuals and allies to learn more about the state of LGBTQ protections in New Jersey and approaches for protecting LGBTQ families and individuals.

Union County’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, under the Department of Economic Development, was established by the Freeholder Board in 2018 and is the first and only county government office of its kind in the State of New Jersey.

The Office of LGBTQ Affairs provides a platform for leadership and collaboration to support equality, and serves as a catalyst for advocacy, awareness and action on current and emerging issues that impact the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals.

For more information about the Office of LGBTQ Affairs, contact Danni Newbury, Coordinator, at 908-527-4742 or dnewbury@ucnj.org or visit ucnj.org/LGBTQ.

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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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Union County, NJ — If you haven’t gotten hooked yet, this is your weekend to go stamp crazy. At national parks, monuments and historic sites across the country, there are stamps visitors collect in passports to mark their visit.  Visiting many of these sites can involve travelling long distances — but not this Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20, during Union County’s Four Centuries in a Weekend annual history event.

During Four Centuries in a Weekend, historic sites across the County all agree to be open from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Nearly half of the 30 sites date back to the Revolutionary War and are part of the National Park Service’s Crossroads of the Revolution National Heritage area, which recognizes the role New Jersey played in the American Revolution.

Union County is part of the Passport to Your National Parks program where Parks enthusiasts have their passports stamped when they visit historic sites around the county. In 2017, when the county joined the program during the Four Centuries weekend, the number of passport stamp locations in New Jersey literally tripled overnight. Sites are in close proximity to each other, with each site having its own unique stamp recognizing its inclusion in the National Heritage Area.

“Collecting the stamps can be fun,” said Bette Jane Kowalski, Chair of the Union County Board of Freeholders. “As word has spread about our Four Centuries weekend, our historic sites have seen an increasing number of visitors coming from a distance to get all the stamps. We would love to have you join us and add to your stamp collection.”

 Several sites will have two stamps because of their location. For example, the Miller-Cory House in Westfield is a historic site in its own right and is also along the Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail, which recognizes the contribution of the French in winning the Revolutionary War. Several battles in Union County were also memorialized with the stamps.

Union County offers a free passport to historic sites across the county which can also be used with the stamp program.

Stamps will be available at:

• In Berkeley Heights, the Deserted Village of Feltville/Glenside Park.
• In Clark, at the Dr. William Robinson Plantation-Museum.
• In Elizabeth, at Boxwood Hall, First Presbyterian Church of Elizabeth, Snyder Academy.
• Nathaniel Bonnell Homestead & Belcher-Ogden Mansion, and St. John’s Parsonage.
• In Hillside, at Woodruff House-Eaton Store Museum.
• In Mountainside, at the Deacon Andrew Hetfield House.
• In New Providence, at the Salt Box Museum.
• In Plainfield, at the Drake House Museum and Plainfield Meeting House.
• In Rahway, at Merchants & Drovers Tavern. There will also be a stamp recognizing the King’s Highway.
• In Roselle, at the Abraham Clark Memorial House.
• In Scotch Plains, at Elizabeth and Gershom Frazee House and Osborn Cannonball House.  And at Ashbrook Reservation, to mark the Battle of the Short Hills.
• In Springfield, at the Cannon Ball House. There will also be a stamp for the Battle of Springfield.
• In Summit, at the Carter House.
• In Union, at Liberty Hall, Connecticut Farms Church and Caldwell Parsonage, where there will also be a stamp commemorating the Battle of Connecticut Farms
• In Westfield, at the Miller-Cory House Museum, which will also have a stamp recognizing the Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail.
• Unfortunately, the Littell-Lord House in Berkeley Heights is closed for repairs and its stamp is not available this year.

While the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs will continue to offer free Union County Across the Centuries passports at all Union County historic sites, those interested in purchasing a national passport can go to: eparks.com/store/category/30/278/Passport.

Launched by Eastern National in 1986, the Passport to Your National Parks program consists of a guidebook highlighting national parks. It provides space for dated ink “cancellation” stamps that enable visitors to commemorate their visit. More information on the program is available at: easternnational.org/what-we-do/passport.

To learn more about the Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs visit ucnj.org/parks-recreation/cultural-heritage-affairs.

For more details on all Four Centuries sites, including addresses, visit ucnj.org/4C.                                                                                                                                               

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