Category: Public Info

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that grants have been awarded to 42 garden projects in 14 municipalities through the Union County Means Green Community Garden Grants program.

“Through the UC Means Green program, we bring the benefits of community gardening to people from many different walks of life throughout Union County, including those who may find it difficult to access conventional garden plots,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “This year, our awardees range from historic sites and libraries to facilities for seniors, the homeless, and people with disabilities and special needs.”

“UC Means Green helps Union County residents of all ages improve their nutrition and their awareness of environmental stewardship. Our awardees also provide fresh vegetables for local food pantries, they organize education and recreation events, and they create new opportunities to for our youth to participate in community service,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

Grants from UC Means Green have helped to improve existing community gardens, start new gardens and transform empty lots into thriving centers for social and educational activities, with hundreds of pounds of fresh produce consumed and donated to local food pantries each year.

The grant program launched in 2016 and is administered on behalf of the Freeholder Board by the non-profit organization Groundwork Elizabeth.

This year Union County Means Green awarded pre-budgeted grants for starting new gardens, including a choice of raised beds, waist-high accessible beds for seniors and people with disabilities, or “Earth Boxes” that enable gardening in tight spaces.

The program also awarded  block grants for expanding or improving gardens,  pre-budgeted grants for starting pollinator plots that include edible plants, and pre-budgeted grants for hydroponic gardens, enabling the gardening experience to continue throughout the winter months.

The 2019 awardees are:                                  

Berkeley Heights

Berkeley Heights Environmental Commission (2 accessible beds, $1300); Berkeley Heights Learning Community Garden at Littell-Lord Farmstead

Cranford

Hanson Park Conservancy (2 accessible beds, $500); Hanson Park Conservancy Community Garden, 38 Springfield Avenue

Elizabeth

Housing Authority City of Elizabeth (2 accessible beds, $1300); Farley Towers Community Garden, 33 Cherry Street

BEAM Housing Services, Inc. (6 Earth Boxes + 1 accessible bed, $1300);

Heritage Village Garden, 225 Second Street

YMCA of Eastern Union County (garden improvements, $500); The Gateway Family YMCA Child Care Center, 1150 Dickinson Street

City of Elizabeth (garden improvements, $500); Peterstown Senior Garden, 418 Palmer Street,

City of Elizabeth (2 accessible beds, $1300); The Stephen Sampson Center Garden, 800 Anna Street

City of Elizabeth (4 raised beds, $1300); The Liberty Square Garden in Love, Liberty Square Senior Citizen Center

Jewish Family Service of Central NJ (hydroponic garden, $3000); Jewish Family Service Urban Community Vegetable Garden, 655 Westfield Avenue

PISC Vira Verde Nova Mocidade (garden improvements, $500); Vira Verde Nova Mocidade Garden, 417 US Highway 1

Josephine’s Place (garden improvements $500); Josephine’s Place Garden of Peace, 622 Elizabeth Avenue

Prevention Links (2 raised beds +1 accessible bed, $1300); E’Port Community Center Garden, 250 Second Street

YMCA of Eastern Union County (pollinator garden, $750); YMCA  Elizabeth Branch Community Garden, 135 Madison Avenue

Linden

Communities in Cooperation, Inc. (garden improvements, $500); CIC Community Garden, 1025 John Street, Linden

New Providence

New Providence United Methodist Church/New Providence Garden Club (pollinator garden, $750); Serenity Garden, 1441 Springfield Avenue

New Providence Memorial Library (pollinator garden, $750); The Library Garden, 377 Elkwood Avenue

Plainfield

DuCret School of Art (6 Earth Boxes + 1 accessible bed, $1300); DuCret Community Garden, 1030 Central Avenue

Richmond Towers Residence Association (hydroponic garden, $3000); Richmond Towers Residence Association Gardens, 520 E. Front Street

Be the Change — Kean University (hydroponic garden, $3000); Park Hotel Edible Landscape, 123 West 7th Street

Cedarbrook Park Apartments (4 raised beds, $1300); Cedarbrook Park Apartments Community Garden, 1272 Park Avenue

Youth Felicitares/Stone Square Mason Lodge (4 raised beds, $1300); Queen City Community Garden, Berkeley Terrace

Rahway

City of Rahway (garden improvements, $500); Rahway Community Garden, 537 Central Avenue

Rahway Community Action Organization (garden improvements, $500); RCAO Community Garden, 809 E. Hazelwood Avenue

Roselle

Amalfe Senior and Community Center, garden improvements, $500); BT Mathis and Diane Mathis Community Garden, 1268 Shaffer Avenue

Roselle Park

Roselle Park Environmental Commission (pollinator garden, $750); Roselle Park Community Garden, 133 Valley Road

Roselle Park Environmental Commission (garden improvements, $500); Roselle Park Community Garden, 133 Valley Road

Scotch Plains

Township of Scotch Plains (garden improvements, $3000); Scotch Plains Community Garden at Frazee House

Scotch Plains Garden Club (2 accessible beds, $1300); Scotch Plains Community Garden at Frazee House

Scotch Plains-Fanwood YMCA (hydroponic Garden, $3000); YMCA Square Foot Garden, 1340 Martine Avenue

Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish/Township of Scotch Plains (garden improvements, $2000); Community Garden of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church,  1571 S. Martine Avenue

Springfield

Township of Springfield (garden improvements, $1500); Springfield Township Community Garden  

Township of Springfield (pollinator garden, $750); Springfield Township Pollinator Garden, N. Trivett Avenue and Center Street

Springfield Free Public Library (2 raised beds + 1 accessible bed, $1300); Lettuce Read and Grow Garden, 66 Mountain Avenue

Summit

Summit Area YMCA (garden improvements, $500); Summit ACHIEVE Community Garden, Beauvoir Place and Beauvoir Avenue

Union Township

Union Township Adult Community Development (2 accessible beds, $1300); Thomas A. Ehrhart Gardens, 100 Francis Court

Union Senior Residents Housing Corporation (hydroponic garden, $3000); James Schaefer Garden, 35 W. Summer Avenue   

YMCA of Eastern Union County (hydroponic garden, $3000); Gateway Family YMCA Five Points Branch Community Garden, 201 Tucker Avenue

Township of Union (2 accessible beds, $1300); Township of Union Community Garden, Eleanor R. Erickson Park, Liberty Avenue

YMCA of Eastern Union County (garden improvements, $500); Gateway Family YMCA W.I.S.E Center Branch at United Methodist Church

Westfield

First United Methodist Church of Westfield/Westfield Community Center (garden improvements, $500); Justice Garden, 1 East Broad Street

Additionally, YWCA Eastern Union County received an award of $3000 for a hydroponic garden, for its “Growing for Health” project at a domestic violence shelter in Union County.

For more information about Groundwork Elizabeth visit online at groundworkelizabeth.org.

For quick links to all Union County environmental programs, activities and services visit The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connection.

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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.

Connect with Union County on social media.

Union County, NJ — Gardening enthusiasts can stock up on plants, seedlings and other supplies — and shop for a cause, too — at the 30th annual Master Gardeners of Union County Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale.  The Spring Garden Fair is known for a large selection of flowers, herbs, and vegetables including the popular Ramapo and Rutgers 250 tomatoes.

The event takes place on Sunday, May 19, from noon to 4:00 p.m., on the grounds of the Union County Demonstration Garden at the Trailside Nature and Science Center in the Watchung Reservation, 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside. All proceeds from sales at the Garden Fair go to support the many community service projects of Master Gardener volunteers, including donations of fresh produce to local food pantries, educational events for youth and adults, programs for people with special needs, and more.

“On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I would like to thank our Master Gardener volunteers for their many contributions to the quality of life in Union County,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowlaski. “A visit to the Garden Fair is a fun, inspiring way to kick off the growing season while contributing to a good cause, too.”

Visitors are advised to bring a small wagon to convey their purchases. As always, admission to the Garden Fair is free, and parking is also free. Please note that credit cards are not accepted, and pets are not permitted at the Garden Fair.

Among the hundreds of plants and seedlings offered for sale, the Spring Garden Fair features deer resistant, drought tolerant and fragrant plants that thrive in Union County, including native species and many easy-to-grow plants for beginner gardeners.

Along with plants, baked goods, crafts, and gently used garden supplies for sale, the Spring Garden Fair offers free activities for gardeners of all ages including:

• Guided tours of the Demonstration Garden including the vegetable and herb gardens.
• Displays and information for Square Foot Gardening, Invasive Plants and Mosquito Control.
• Information on joining the Rutgers Master Gardeners, Environmental Stewards and 4-H Master Tree Stewards.
• Children’s activities (children must be accompanied by parent or guardian).
• Garden clinic and Rutgers information fact sheets for troubleshooting garden problems.
• Attendees can bring plant and insect samples for diagnosis.
• Rutgers soil test kits are available for sale.

Free parking is located nearby at the Trailside Nature and Science Center parking lot and the Scout Camping Area in the Watchung Reservation. Additional free parking is available in the Loop playground area, located a short walk away on the other side of the Trailside Center.

The Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County is an all-volunteer organization run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County and supported in part by the Freeholder Board.

Anyone with an interest in gardening and volunteer service can earn Master Gardener certification by successfully completing a series of training classes offered locally. No previous education or training in horticulture is required.

For more information on the Master Gardeners program contact Tamisha Hopkins at the Extension, 908-654-9854 (ext. 2), or visit online at ucnj.org/rce.

The Extension offices are located in the Colleen Frasier building in the Union County Complex at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield.

Union County residents and visitors with an interest in preserving native plant species are also invited to attend the free “Good Plants and Bad Plants” seminar on May 18 at Trailside. A free brochure providing guidance on ornamental native species titled “Plant This, Not That” is also available for download, and a “Plant Swap” and native plant tour will take place in the Demonstration Garden on Thursday evening, June 6, from 5:30p.m. to 8:30 pm. 

For quick links to all Union County programs related to gardening, sustainability and nature conservation visit The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connection.

Directions to Trailside Nature & Science Center:

VIA ROUTE 24 EAST

1. Exit at River Road and follow it into Summit.
2. Turn left at traffic light onto Morris Avenue at Schering Plough.
3. Travel past Overlook Hospital, bear right just before the traffic light and turn immediately left at the next traffic light onto Baltusrol Road. (sign says to Rt. 22).
4. At the top of the hill, turn right at the traffic light onto Summit Lane.
5. At the wooded traffic circle, take the second right and proceed ½ mile to Trailside. Parking lot is on the right.

VIA ROUTE 22 WEST – EXIT #140A ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY SOUTH

1. Take Route 22 West past Springfield exits to Mountainside/New Providence Road exit.
2. Turn right (just before the traffic light) and proceed up the hill.
3. Take the 5th right onto Ackerman Avenue.
4. At the top of the hill, turn right onto Coles Avenue. Trailside’s parking lot is about 1/4 mile on the left hand side.

VIA ROUTE 22 EAST

1. Take Route 22 East to exit marked Mountainside/New Providence Road.
2. Take the jug-handle and turn left toward the traffic light.
3. Cross over Route 22.
4. Proceed as above from #3.

VIA ROUTES 287 & 78 EAST

1. Take Rt. 287 to Rt. 78 to exit 44 (New Providence/Berkeley Heights).
2. Turn left at the traffic light onto Glenside Avenue.
3. Go 1.2 miles and turn right into the Watchung Reservation (Rt. 645 – W.R Tracey Dr.).
4. Proceed past Lake Surprise, uphill and straight past loop picnic area to the wooded traffic circle.
5. At traffic circle take the first right and proceed ½ mile to Trailside. Parking lot is on the right.

VIA ROUTE 78 WEST

1. Take Rt. 78 West to exit 43 (New Providence/Berkeley Heights).
2. Turn right at first light onto McMane Avenue.
3. At T-intersection, turn left onto Glenside Avenue.
4. Proceed as above from #3.

VIA N.J. TURNPIKE NORTH/GARDEN STATE PARKWAY NORTH

1. Take NJ Turnpike to exit 11, Garden State Parkway.
2. Take GSP to Exit 135.
3. Stay to left on exit ramp and enter traffic circle. Proceed around circle, under parkway and straight onto Central Avenue.
4. Follow Central Avenue into the center of Westfield.
5. At T-intersection/traffic light, turn right onto Broad Street and make first left at the next traffic light onto Mountain Avenue.
6. Follow Mountain Avenue to the traffic light in Mountainside.
7. Turn Left onto New Providence Road.
8. Go through the traffic light crossing over Route 22.
9. Proceed uphill and take the 5th right onto Ackerman Avenue.
10. At the top of the hill, turn right onto Coles Avenue. Trailside’s parking lot is about 1/4 mile on the left hand side.

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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.

Connect with Union County on social media.

Union County, NJ – What is the difference between a good plant and a bad plant? Plenty, if you want to contribute to a healthy environment. Conservationists are encouraging home owners and professional landscapers alike to plant native species that help support a natural, flourishing ecosystem in local communities.

To help gardeners learn how to select beneficial plants and avoid the “bad” ones, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites the public to a special free event, Good Plants and Bad Plants: How to Tell the Difference and Support Healthy Ecosystems, on Saturday, May 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Trailside Nature & Science Center, 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside.

The event is free but pre-registration is required by emailing watershed7@ucnj.org.

Landscapers and property managers are encouraged to attend, as well as homeowners, gardeners, civic and environmental organizations, and members of the public who are interested in conserving native species.

“Anyone who works in a yard, garden, or any other landscaped space throughout Union County can help support pollinator preservation, water conservation, and other important environmental causes by eliminating harmful invasive species and planting more native species,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.

Good Plants and Bad Plants is presented by Mike Van Clef, an expert on rare and invasive species and co-founder of the New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team. Mr. Van Clef has 25 years of experience in the field of ecological health monitoring and natural resource policy.

Mr. Van Clef will explain why native plants are important, how to select beneficial native plants for their property or business, and how to help foster a healthy, diverse ecosystem in the Union County community.

Members of the public are also invited to Trailside on Thursday, June 6, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., for a native plant “Swap & Shop” at the Union County Demonstration Garden.

Attendees can bring an invasive plant from their property and trade it for a native plant free of charge, purchase additional native plants on site, and tour the elaborate grounds. Pre-registration is required by emailing watershed7@ucnj.org.

For additional guidance on beneficial plants in the Union County area download the free “Plant This, Not That” brochure from the County website.

To help conserve and improve the habitat in Union County parks, volunteer with the Adopt-a-Park program. Information on volunteering is online at ucnj.org/parks or call 908-789-3683. Any individual or group is welcome to join.

For quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities visit The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connect.

Good Plants and Bad Plants is a special presentation of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation Environmental Services office through the New Jersey Watershed Ambassador Program, a project of Americorps and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

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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.

Connect with Union County on social media.

County of Union Administration Staff is wearing jeans today in support of Denim Day and to bring more sexual assault issues to light. Sexual violence is a serious public health problem and affects millions of women and men in the United States.

 Prosecutor’s Office – Police Academy employees

Department of Human Services – Social Services Division employees

Office of Witness Advocacy employees  Marcela Triacanico, Ana Maria Melara and Kimberly Best-Paris

Union County, NJ – Union County residents seeking reliable information about services for adults age 60 and older can come to convenient locations throughout the County and speak in person with experienced staff from the Union County Aging and Disability Resource Connection, a division of the Department of Human Services.

The community visits are scheduled every month through Union County’s ASK (Aging Services Kiosk) program. In May, the ASK program will come to public libraries in Elizabeth, Clark, Cranford, Garwood, Mountainside, Summit and Union, and to the Rahway Senior Center.

“Our goal is to help senior residents access the resources they need to stay connected with their communities,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “The ASK program helps seniors, their families, and their caregivers get expert guidance in person, in a comfortable setting close to home.”

Guidance offered through the ASK program includes home delivered meals, respite care, home care, adult day care, and support services for caregivers.

Assistance with completing applications and forms is also provided.

All Union County residents are welcome to attend any ASK event. The dates and locations for May are:

Monday, May 6

Elizabeth Public Library – LaCorte Branch

418 Palmer Street

Elizabeth, NJ 07202

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

 

Wednesday, May 8

Cranford Public Library

224 Walnut Avenue

Cranford, NJ 07016

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

 

Thursday, May 9

Rahway Senior Center

1306 Esterbrook Avenue

Rahway, NJ  07065

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

 

Thursday, May 16

Garwood Public Library

411 Third Avenue

Garwood, NJ 07027

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

 

Friday, May 17

Mountainside Public Library

Constitution Plaza

Mountainside, NJ 07092

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

 

Monday, May 20

Clark Public Library

303 Westfield Avenue

Clark, NJ 07066

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

 

Monday, May 20

Summit Public Library

75 Maple Street

Summit, NJ 07901

10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

 

Tuesday, May 28

Union Public Library

1980 Morris Avenue

Union, NJ 07083

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

 

The Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection is modeled on a national initiative aimed at promoting wellness, independence, dignity and choice. In addition to ASK and other outreach events, printed information is available in English and Spanish.

For more information about the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection, visit the Department of Human Services online at ucnj.org/departments/human-services or call 888-280-8226 (toll free), 908-527-4870, or 908-527-4858. Spanish speakers may call 908-527-4863. 

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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.

Connect with Union County on social media.

Union County, NJ- The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will recognize local artists at a public reception and awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 1, at the 18^th Annual Exhibit and Contest for County of Union employees and their families. The event will take place at Liberty Hall Center, located at 1085 Morris Avenue in Union Township, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

“The Employee Art Exhibit recognizes the contributions that our Union County employees make to the cultural life of our community, including retired employees, volunteers, and family members,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board. “On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I would like to thank Liberty Hall Center for hosting the exhibit and awards reception, and the National Arts Program Foundation for funding the award prizes.”

Presented in partnership with the National Arts Program, the exhibit will be open to the public weekdays until May 21, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Entrants in the Employee Art Exhibit were judged by three professional artists with broad experience in the art world: Lawrence Cappiello, Frank Falotico, and Darlene Foster.

Lawrence Cappiello is currently the Assistant Administrator for Cultural & Heritage for the City of Rahway. He was a founder of Arts Guild New Jersey (formerly the Arts Guild of Rahway), a non-profit center for the Arts in Rahway, NJ, and he served as Executive Director and artistic Director of the organization from 1998 to 2018.

Frank Falotico is a painter, figurative sculptor and anatomist who taught at duCret School of Art in Plainfield for more than 43 years and served as the school’s Director from 1985 until 2016. He has conducted numerous lectures and workshops in artistic anatomy throughout the area. He has exhibited his paintings in numerous shows in New Jersey and New York including the Swain Galleries in Plainfield, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Rutgers University, and the Salmagundi Club in New York City. He has served on the Advisory Boards of the Monmouth County Vocational School and the Somerset County Technical Institute.

Darlene Foster studied drawing and painting at the Sarah Brown School of Art in Atlanta. She participated in shows and exhibits before moving to Plainfield in 1977, where she began incorporating photography into her artwork, leading to a career as a retouching artist. Pencils, brushes and dyes gave way to digital in the mid ‘90s when the computer was introduced to her as an art tool. Ms. Foster currently does photographic painting, retouching, restoration and collage for photographers and the general public as well as her personal artwork.

The National Arts Program is in its 36^th year with 90 venues in 38 states. The program was conceived by Leonard E.B. Andrews, an art collector, publisher, business executive and journalist, to encourage and develop of artistic expression.

The National Arts Program provides an opportunity for people to present their talent, at whatever level, in a free, public exhibition. It is sponsored by The National Arts Program Foundation of Malvern, Pennsylvania. To learn more about the program, visit thenationalartsprogram.org.

Additional support for this event is provided by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts in the Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information about the Employee Art Exhibit and all other programs of the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, visit ucnj.org/parks-recreation, call 908-558-2550 or e-mail culturalinfo@ucnj.org. NJ relay users dial 711.

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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.

Connect with Union County on social media:

                  

 

Event features exhibitions and break out talks on “How to Make Your Money Last” for seniors beginning 9 a.m. in Garwood

GARWOOD, NJ—The Senior Citizens Council of Union County will be presenting “Staying in New Jersey: How to Make Your Money Last,” a free event featuring talks, exhibitions, and screenings, running from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the Westwood in Garwood.

The event is co-sponsored by the Union County Freeholder Board as part of Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski’s “Empowering Union County” initiatives. The Westwood is located at 438 North Avenue.

“Many of Union County’s seniors are very active and living longer than ever before, which means their finances must last longer,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski, who announced initiatives for seniors as part of her “Empowering Union County” initiatives. “We’re proud to partner with the Senior Citizens Council of Union County and co-sponsor this informative and interactive event, which covers a wide variety of topics related to finance and health.”

​​​Doors open at 9:00 am with a free continental breakfast.  Attendees will have the opportunity to browse the information exhibits on display.  There will be free on-site screenings offered by local area hospitals and healthcare providers.  The formal program with a panel of guest speakers will run from 10:15am to 11:45am with time for questions.

Featured topics include:

Personal Budget Planning:  Monitoring your spending.  Prioritizing your needs.

Downsizing Your Home:  Upkeep problem or financial burden, or both?  Smaller home, rental, alternative living arrangements

Credit & Lending Options:  Home equity lines, refinancing, reverse mortgages.  Can you get a cash advance?

Getting a Job:  Full or part-time.  What are you qualified to do?  Job training and placement.

Medicaid Eligibility:  How do you qualify?  When should you apply?

Other Government Funded Support:  What are the subsidized programs for home and healthcare?

To RSVP, or for more information, please contact the Union County Senior Citizens Council at 908-964-7555 or go to www.njseniorcouncil.com or email info@njseniorcouncil.com

Union County, NJ — If you were living in the Plainfield area in the late 1800s and wanted a family portrait, it’s quite possible you found your way to the studio of Guillermo Thorn.

And if one of these days you find yourself wandering along the Green Brook in the Watchung Reservation and come across some ruins, there are old Thorn photographs revealing what once stood there.

Should any of this history fascinate you — the beginnings of commercial photography in America or the 19^th century mills that once powered industries along the brooks in the Watchung Mountains, then there is only one place you want to be this Sunday: Masker’s Barn, 13 Cataract Hollow Road, Berkeley Heights, in the Deserted Village of Feltville.

As part of the spring celebration at Union County’s Watchung Reservation, which includes Wild Earth Fest and Touch A Truck, the Deserted Village will host free hayrides through the village, along with history tours.

Part of that history will be told by Scotch Plains resident Rich Palmatier, an amateur historian who has made Thorn and the mills along the Green and Blue Brooks the focus of hundreds of hours of research.

Reproductions of Thorn’s work will be on display in Masker’s Barn, with Palmatier explaining Thorn’s adventures through the area and the photographic legacy he left behind, including a series of stereographs — precursors to Viewmasters (if you’re old enough to remember them) and today’s virtual reality headsets.

“This Sunday is going to be quite a day up in the Watchung Reservation,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.  “While Wild Earth Fest and Touch A Truck are returning to mark our annual Spring kick off in County Parks, there will be even more to do.”

“The Watchung Stable will be hosting free pony rides and barn tours, while the Deserted Village will be hosting a mini-Four Centuries,” Kowalski said.

All activities will run from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with main parking at the Stable and Deserted Village. Shuttle buses will get visitors around the Reservation.

As part of the special focus on Guillermo Thorn, several Thorn-related Union County History Cards will be available for youngsters to collect at Masker’s Barn. To learn more about collecting Union County History Cards, visit ucnj.org/historycards.

Guillermo Thorn Born was born in 1837, two years before the invention of the photograph. He would grow up to see photography infiltrate every aspect of 19th-century life. 

Thorn gave up a brief career as a drawing and painting teacher and opened his first studio in Saugerties, NY, before moving to Plainfield in 1864. 

While he quickly established himself as a professional photographer, taking portraits and scenics of the area, his personal life was marred by tragedy. By 1870, disease claimed the lives of his wife, Alice, and their five children. He eventually remarried, with his later children becoming muses for his pictorial work.  

As part of Palmatier’s presentations on Sunday, he will share old photographs of the long forgotten mills along the Green and Blue Brooks. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, these waterways were the industrial hub for this area, producing everything from lumber to paper to gunpowder, grist, material for hats and crushed stone. 

There were upwards of 12 mills along these two brooks. In some spots, you can still see remnants of the dams, sluices, and spillways that provided the water power to drive the machinery. 

For those who participate in the National Parks Passport Program, the Deserted Village Church and General Store will be open to stamp Parks passports. The site, originally settled in the 1700s, is included in the National Parks Service Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, along with a number of other Revolutionary War era sites in Union County. 

To learn more about the Passport to Your National Parks program and the locations of Parks Stamps in Union County, visit ucnj.org/parks-recreation/cultural-heritage-affairs.

For information on all Union County parks and activities visit ucnj.org/parks-activities.

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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.

Connect with Union County on social media.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders informs residents that children who are at least 12 months old and under age 19 and who are Medicaid eligible, uninsured or underinsured are eligible to receive free vaccines to prevent measles. This free service is available at the County’s Immunization Clinic operated by the Union County Department of Human Services, Division of Social Services.

“Recently, over a dozen new cases of measles have been reported in our area,” stated Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “The Freeholder Board takes this outbreak very seriously and we want to make residents aware that there are resources available to prevent the spread of measles. Vaccination measures in turn, help to protect all our children and residents.”

In 2000, measles was considered eliminated in the United States.  According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2019 has the second highest number of measles cases in the United States in 25 years. Complications include pneumonia, ear infections, swelling on the brain, and negative impacts on pregnancy. The safe and effective MMR shot (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, also known as German or three-day measles) is the best way to protect against infection.

Measles, a virus that become airborne when an infected person coughs or sneezes, can live in the air and on exposed surfaces for up to two hours.  Measles in considered highly contagious with 90% of those who are unvaccinated contracting the disease when exposed.

The CDC continues to encourage parents to get their children vaccinated on schedule with the MMR vaccine. People 6 months and older should be protected with the vaccine, especially before leaving on international trips.

Union County’s Immunization Clinic, in operation since 1995, is part of the federal Center for Disease Control’s VFC (Vaccines For Children) program and is part of each state’s Medicaid plan. The clinic offers a series of vaccines suggested by the CDC as well as required vaccines for public school admission. Appointments are required and residents may call 908-965-3627 or 908-965-3868 to schedule. The county’s clinic is located at 40 Parker Road, Elizabeth, and is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For additional information and resources on measles please visit the New Jersey Department of Health’s measles website (https://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/topics/measles.shtml), the NPHIC (https://www.nphic.org/members-area/measles-resources/#20190416-nh)  or CDC’s measles website (https://www.cdc.gov/measles/index.html).

For personal assistance with any service provided by the Union County Department of Human Services, call the UCDHS Action Line at 888-845-3434 or 908-558-2288.

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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.

Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites residents and visitors to go back in time at the Merchants and Drovers Tavern Museum, located at 1632 St. Georges Avenue in Rahway, for a social gathering with a performance and presentation of period music from the 19th century. This event, titled “History on Tap,” will take place on Friday evening, May 3 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

“This event will bring residents ages 21 and older together to celebrate the local history of Union County,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “It promises to be an enjoyable opportunity for county residents to learn about colonial traditions while mixing with others with similar interests.”

Anne and Ridley Enslow will recreate the music of American history, dressed in historically accurate clothing of those who lived around 1770.

During the evening, attendees can try their hand at a percussion instrument called the limber jack, recite a toast, participate in sing-alongs and learn a Colonial dance.

A fee of $10 includes food and two drink vouchers (maximum) for beer, wine and soft drinks. Registration is required online at merchantsanddrovers.org.

Anne and Ridley Enslow present concerts on historic themes accompanied by dancing and entertainment. They play music of the American colonial period and the early 19^th century, using instruments appropriate to the period — an 18^th century violin made in France for Ridley and a hammered dulcimer for Anne. A jaw harp, mountain dulcimer, or pennywhistle may also appear, depending on the show. They sing in harmony and tell stories of the times that gave rise to the music.

History on Tap is sponsored by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, and funded in part by a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a Division of Cultural Affairs in the Department of State.

For more information about this and other programs and services related to the arts in Union County, visit online at ucnj.org/parks-recreation/cultural-heritage-affairs, call 908-558-2550 or email culturalinfo@ucnj.org. NJ Relay users may dial 711.

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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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