Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi congratulates the winners of the “I Voted” Sticker Design Art Contest sponsored by the Clerk’s office. Gina Fabio of the Deerfield School in Mountainside is the winner in the Grade 5-8 category. Ashleigh Simpson, of Union, from Union County Vocational and Technical School in Scotch Plains is the winner in the category of Grades 9-12. Gina was joined by her parents Joe and Lisa Fabio. Ashleigh was joined by her parents Henry and Lorraine Simpson.
Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that residents can call the new DHS Action Line at 888-845-3434 or 908-558-2288 for rapid, personal assistance with any question, complaint or concern about services provided by the Union County Department of Human Services. An email option is also available at DHSaction@ucnj.org.
“Through the new Action Line, every Union County resident is just a phone call – or an email – away from a knowledgeable person in our Department of Human Services, who can connect them with useful resources and provide reliable guidance for any issues they may have on a personal, individualized basis,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.
The DHS Action Line is staffed with professionals who are trained to explain the programs and services provided by Human Services, and discuss the details of specific concerns or questions.
Staff is available to help residents connect with services for seniors and their caregivers, job searches and job training, food and shelter, homeless prevention and help, mental health and addiction issues, special transportation needs, services for people with disabilities, and programs for at-risk youth.
In addition, the Action Line provides Human Services clients with a portal for resolving issues related to benefits and payments.
As one of Freeholder Chair Kowalski’s initiatives for 2019, the Action Line will also help to strengthen county-local relationships and support systems for families in need, by creating a streamlined pathway for communicating with residents, and assisting municipal officials and community based organizations.
“The Action Line represents a team-based, comprehensive effort to ensure that our services reach people in effectively, and in a manner that respects the many unique cultural differences that characterize our diverse community,” said Freeholder Chair Kowalski.
Starting on Tuesday, April 2, DHS Action Line specialists, including Spanish speakers, are available Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Voice and email messages left after hours will be answered the next business day.
The Department of Human Services (DHS) provides and administers a broad range of federal, state, county, and grant funded services to all Union County residents.
For more information about the Department of Human Services, visit online at ucnj.org/human-services or contact the DHS Action Line.
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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 Police Department is cracking down on distracted drivers during April as part of the new statewide UDrive. UText. UPay. campaign.
“Distracted driving is the cause of thousands of motor vehicle accidents and deaths nationwide. The statewide UDrive. UText. UPay. campaign should be a wake-up call for anyone who thinks they are immune from the life-and-death consequences of driving while texting,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.
Driver inattention was listed as a contributing circumstance in 52 percent of automobile accidents in New Jersey during 2015. It was a contributing factor in crashes at a rate nine times higher than the next highest contributing factor, speed.
The Union County Police Department is participating in UDrive. UText. UPay. through a Special Traffic Enforcement Program grant from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety.
Beginning April 1 and running through April 21, the high visibility law enforcement initiative will target motorists who use hand held phones, send text messages while driving, and engage in other dangerous distracted driving behaviors.
The National Safety Council has designated the month of April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The New Jersey campaign is modeled after similar successful high visibility enforcement programs such as Click It or Ticket and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
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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, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites all members of the public to celebrate National Poetry Month with readings by Paul Muldoon, acclaimed author of Moy Sand and Gravel. Mr. Muldoon received the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and the 2003 International Griffin Poetry Prize for Moy Sand and Gravel.
“An Evening of Poetry with Paul Muldoon” takes place on Tuesday, April 23 at 7:00 p.m., at The Little Theater at Kean University, 1000 Morris Avenue Union Township.
“This special event is a unique opportunity to experience the artistry of one of the world’s leading literary figures,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski. “Paul Muldoon has been described as ‘the most significant English-language poet born since the Second World War’ and we are very proud to welcome him to Union County.”
Paul Muldoon was born in 1951 in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, and educated in Armagh and at the Queen’s University of Belfast. From 1973 to 1986 he worked in Belfast as a radio and television producer for the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Since 1987 Mr. Muldoon has lived in the United States, where he is now Howard G. B. Clark ’21 Professor at Princeton University and was founding chair of the Peter B. Lewis Center for the Arts. He was also appointed Poetry Editor of The New Yorker in 2007.
Between 1999 and 2004 he was Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford, where he is an honorary Fellow of Hertford College. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Muldoon was given an American Academy of Arts and Letters award in literature for 1996.
In addition to the Pulitzer Prize and International Griffin Poetry Prize, other awards include the 1994 T. S. Eliot Prize, the 1997 Irish Times Poetry Prize, the 2004 American Ireland Fund Literary Award, the 2004 Shakespeare Prize, the 2005 Aspen Prize for Poetry, and the 2006 European Prize for Poetry.
The 2019 National Poetry Month event is sponsored by the Freeholder Board through the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Department of Parks and Recreation, and is 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 on all Cultural and Heritage programs visit ucnj.org, call 908-436-2912 or email jprescott@ucnj.org.
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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 Elections has added four more dates the schedule of hands-on public demonstrations for Union County’s new ExpressVote XL voting machines this spring.
“The Union County Board of Elections is undertaking an aggressive outreach campaign to ensure our voters are educated on how to use the new machine prior to Election Day,” said Board of Elections Administrator Nicole DiRado. “We anticipate adding more preview demonstrations as Election Day comes closer, so please visit our website for the most up to date schedule.”
Voters in Westfield and eight other municipalities will use the new machines starting with the Primary Election on June 4, and the remaining 12 municipalities will use them starting with the General Election in November.
“The demonstration sessions are a good opportunity for voters, and the general public, to learn about new technology that helps ensure the integrity of our elections,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.
All demonstrations are open to the public, voters and non-voters alike, on a walk in basis.
Weekly public demonstrations are open to all County residents every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Colleen Fraser Building in the Union County Complex at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield.
Weekly demonstrations for all County residents are also available every Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the first floor of the Union County Court House, at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth.
One-day sessions are available to all County residents during the following dates and times at these locations (*indicates newly added date):
April 5 – 1:00pm – 5:00pm, Mountainside Library, 1 Constitution Plaza
April 8 – 3:00pm – 7:30pm, Union Township Public Library, 1980Morris Avenue
April 11 – 3:00pm – 5:00pm, Summit City Hall, 512 Springfield Avenue (takes place during Summit Government Day)
April 13 – 10:00am – 1:00pm, Garwood Municipal Hall, Council Chambers, 403 South Avenue
April 15 – 3:00pm – 7:30pm, Kenilworth Public Library, 548 Boulevard
April 15 – 3:00 pm – 7:30pm, Elizabeth Public Library, Main Branch, 11 S. Broad Street*
April 22 – 3:00pm – 7:30pm Union Twp. Public Library, Vauxhall Branch, 123 Hilton Avenue
April 23 – 1:00pm – 8:00pm Mountainside Municipal Building, 1385 Route 22E
April 25 – 4:00pm – 7:30pm, Garwood Public Library, 411 Third Avenue
April 26 – 9:30am – 4:30pm, Fanwood Public Library, 5 Forest Road
April 27 – 9:00am – 5:00pm, Berkeley Heights Public Library, 110 Roosevelt Avenue
April 28 –11:00am – 5:00pm, Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence Road, Mountainside (takes place during the Wild Earth Festival and Touch a Truck events)
May 1 – 4:30pm – 7:30pm, Liberty Hall center, 1085 Morris Ave., Union Township (takes place during Union County Cultural & Heritage Affairs Reception)
May 4 – 10:00am – 1:00pm, Garwood Municipal Hall, Council Chambers, 403 South Avenue, Garwood
May 5 – 12:00pm – 4:00pm, Elizabeth Public Library, Elmora Branch, 740 W. Grand St.*
May 6 – 9:30pm – 4:30pm, Fanwood Public Library, 5 Forest Road
May 6 – 3:00pm – 7:30pm, Kenilworth Public Library, 548 Boulevard
May 9 – 12:00pm -8:00pm, Berkeley Heights Public Library, 110 Roosevelt Avenue*
May 9 – 3:00pm – 7:30pm: Elizabeth Public Library, LaCorte Branch, 418 Palmer St.
May 13 – 3:00pm – 7:30pm, Union Township Public Library, Vauxhall Branch, 123 Hilton Avenue
May 14 – 3:00pm – 7:00pm, Union Township Municipal Building – 1976 Morris Avenue
May 16 – 3:00pm – 7:30pm, Mountainside Public Library, 1 Constitution Plaza
May 22 – 3:00pm – 7:00pm, Union Township Municipal Building, 1976 Morris Avenue
May 23 – 12:00pm – 8:00pm, Berkeley Heights Public Library, 110 Roosevelt Avenue
May 24 – 9:00am – 4:00pm, Garwood Public Library, 411 Third Avenue
May 30 – 12:00 pm – 4:00pm, Elizabeth Public Library, Elizabethport Branch, 102-110 3rd Sreet*
June 1 – 12:00pm – 7:00pm Cedar Brook Park, Plainfield (takes place during Union County Rhythm & Blues by the Brook music festival)
The new ExpressVote XL voting machines will be rolled out in two stages for the Primary and General elections.
Voters in Berkeley Heights, Elizabeth, Fanwood, Garwood, Kenilworth, Mountainside, Union and Winfield will use the new machines for the 2019 Primary Election on June 4. Westfield will continue to use the new voting machines, following the successful pilot program last year.
Voters in Clark, Cranford, Hillside, Linden, New Providence, Plainfield, Rahway, Roselle, Roselle Park, Scotch Plains, Springfield and Summit will use the new machines for the 2019 General Election in November.
For schedule updates and a video demonstration of the new machines, visit the Board of Elections online at ucnj.org/board-of-elections.
For additional information, or to schedule a demonstration for civic organizations and community groups, visit the Board of Elections online at ucnj.org/board-of-elections or call 908-527-4123.
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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 Freeholder Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella and Freeholders Angela Garretson, Rebecca Williams, Andrea Staten, Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded and Sergio Granados this evening congratulated the recipients of the Union County 2019 Women of Excellence Awards during at the 27th Annual Women of Excellence Gala Awards Dinner in Clark. They were joined by Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi. The Union County women being recognized for their accomplishments by the Commission on the Status of Women are:
Amy Cairns of Summit, Government Service
Antonietta LaVecchia of Summit, Business/Community Activist
Clea Carchia of Rahway, Arts/Graphic Design
Dawn McDonald of Scotch Plains, Education
Dr. Julia Grimes of Westfield, Medicine/Health & Wellness
Iliana Chevres of Elizabeth, Special Needs Advocacy
Kay Coats Macrae of Springfield, Theater Arts
Marlene Olson Hamm of Rahway, Environmental Advocacy
Mary Zimmermann of Summit, Lifetime Achievement
Michele Dabal of New Providence, Humanitarian Activities
Sandra Jackson of Linden, Youth Advocacy
The Women of Excellence Awards are sponsored by the Freeholder Board and the Union County Commission on the Status of Women, with the Union County Office on Women. (Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
As Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) approaches this weekend on Sunday, March 31st, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders declares support of this important day and recognizes that TDOV is about more than visibility—it’s an opportunity for all to be an ally.
TDOV is a day dedicated to celebrate transgender and gender nonconforming individuals and the courage it takes to live openly and authentically, while also raising awareness around the discrimination transgender people still face in today’s society.
“At a time when quality of life for members of the transgender community is constantly under attack by the current administration in Washington – with obstinate and direct attacks on transgender members of the military – TDOV reminds us that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders calls on the people of our county to embrace this principle and work to eliminate prejudice and injustice where it exists.”
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders stand in support of all transgender people, and condemns attempts to stigmatize and marginalize them. The Freeholders believe transgender individuals have the right to a full quality of life as respected members of our families, communities, and work force.
“The Freeholder Board is proud to support and partner with organizations, community groups and other government and nongovernment agencies to advance programs and services that impact the quality of life for members of the LGBTQ community,” said Freeholder Rebecca Williams, liaison to the Freeholder LGBTQ Ad Hoc Committee.
Parents, educators and community members are invited to attend a free educational presentation, “What Parents Need to Know about Transgender Individuals” being held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23 at the John H. Stamler Police Academy on the Union County Vo-Tech Campus, 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains.
Presented by Dr. Paula C. Rodriguez Rust of Spectrum Diversity, LLC, the purpose of the presentation is to help parents, educators and other adults better understand gender identity and transgender issues, and to provide tips on how to speak with children and adolescents about these sensitive topics, as well as addressing any questions or concerns any attendee may have.
The program, free and open to the public is hosted by the Union County Human Rights Commission (a commission under the Union County Prosecutor’s Office) and co-sponsored by the Office of the Union County Superintendent of Schools and the Union County Office of LGBTQ Affairs.
The 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 and offers 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.
Union County Freeholders Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded and Sergio Granados present a resolution to members of the Westfield High School’s Model United Nations Club congratulating them on being awarded the Outstanding Delegation Award at the annual the YMCA Model UN Program conference held in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
The YMCA Model UN Program (Y-MUN) is a unique Model UN experience that serves more than 2,000 young people annually across the Mid-Atlantic States.
The conference provides an unprecedented simulation of the UN that highlights the themes of collaboration, cultural understanding and problem solving that are at the core of the organization’s real-life goals
The convention helps students develop their debate skills and find their voice, but in a one-of-a-kind conference that brings together servant leadership, public speaking and global problem solving rather than a singular emphasis on debate. Approximately 2,000 students from 80 Mid-Atlantic schools attended the conference this year
The Westfield High School Model UN program is run in conjunction with the Westfield Area YMCA.
Union County Freeholders Rebecca Williams and Andrea Staten present a resolution to Shalonda Archibald congratulating her on being named the 2019 Literacy Teacher of the Year by the New Jersey Literacy Association. Ms. Archibald has been a dedicated educator in the Plainfield Public School system for 6 years. She currently teaches at Maxson Middle School as an ELA RTI teacher and a Literacy Coach. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski (left) previews a new ExpressVote XL voting machine with Board of Elections Administrator Nicole DiRado. The new machines will be used by Union County Voters in nine municipalities for the June 4 Primary Election. Voters in all 21 municipalities will use them for the General Election in November.
Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Elections encourages voters to attend a series of hands-on public demonstrations for Union County’s new ExpressVote XL voting machines this spring.
“The Union County Board of Elections is undertaking an aggressive outreach campaign to ensure our voters are educated on how to use the new machine prior to Election Day,” said Board of Elections Administrator Nicole DiRado. “We anticipate adding more preview demonstrations as Election Day comes closer, so please visit our website for the most up to date schedule.”
Voters in Westfield and eight other municipalities will use the new machines starting with the Primary Election on June 4, and the remaining 12 municipalities will use them starting with the General Election in November.
The purchase of the new machines was approved by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders last October. The Board of Elections introduced them on a pilot basis in Westfield during the General Election in November.
“The demonstration sessions are a good opportunity for voters, and the general public, to learn about new technology that helps ensure the integrity of our elections,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.
No pre-registration is necessary to attend a demonstration session. All public demonstration sessions are open to all County residents on a walk-in basis, including non-voters as well as registered voters.
Board of Election staff will be on site at each location to offer guidance on using the new machines. They are also available to assist with voter registration and poll worker applications.
For schedule updates and a video demonstration of the new machines, visit the Board of Elections online at ucnj.org/board-of-elections.
“Our staff is also available to bring the new machines to community groups and civic organizations on request,” Ms. DiRado added. “Please contact my office to schedule a visit.”
Weekly public demonstrations are open to all County residents every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Colleen Fraser Building in the Union County Complex at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield.
Weekly demonstrations for all County residents are also available every Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the first floor of the Union County Court House, at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth.
One-day sessions are available to all County residents during the following dates and times at these locations:
April 5 – 1:00pm – 5:00pm, Mountainside Library, 1 Constitution Plaza
April 8 – 3:00pm – 7:30pm, Union Township Public Library, 1980Morris Avenue
April 11 – 3:00pm – 5:00pm, Summit City Hall, 512 Springfield Avenue (takes place during Summit Government Day)
April 13 – 10:00am – 1:00pm, Garwood Municipal Hall, Council Chambers, 403 South Avenue
April 15 – 3:00pm – 7:30pm, Kenilworth Public Library, 548 Boulevard
April 22 – 3:00pm – 7:30pm Union Twp. Public Library, Vauxhall Branch, 123 Hilton Avenue
April 23 – 1:00pm – 8:00pm Mountainside Municipal Building, 1385 Route 22E
April 25 – 4:00pm – 7:30pm, Garwood Public Library, 411 Third Avenue
April 26 – 9:30am – 4:30pm, Fanwood Public Library, 5 Forest Road
April 27 – 9:00am – 5:00pm, Berkeley Heights Public Library, 110 Roosevelt Avenue
April 28 –11:00am – 5:00pm, Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence Road, Mountainside (takes place during the Wild Earth Festival and Touch a Truck events)
May 1 – 4:30pm – 7:30pm, Liberty Hall center, 1085 Morris Ave., Union Township (takes place during Union County Cultural & Heritage Affairs Reception)
May 4 – 10:00am – 1:00pm, Garwood Municipal Hall, Council Chambers, 403 South Avenue, Garwood
May 6 – 9:30pm – 4:30pm, Fanwood Public Library, 5 Forest Road
May 6 – 3:00pm – 7:30pm, Kenilworth Public Library, 548 Boulevard
May 9 – 12:00pm -8:00pm, Berkeley Heights Public Library, 110 Roosevelt Avenue
May 13 – 3:00pm – 7:30pm, Union Township Public Library, Vauxhall Branch, 123 Hilton Avenue
May 14 – 3:00pm – 7:00pm, Union Township Municipal Building – 1976 Morris Avenue
May 16 – 3:00pm – 7:30pm, Mountainside Public Library, 1 Constitution Plaza
May 22 – 3:00pm – 7:00pm, Union Township Municipal Building, 1976 Morris Avenue
May 23 – 12:00pm – 8:00pm, Berkeley Heights Public Library, 110 Roosevelt Avenue
May 24 – 9:00am – 4:00pm, Garwood Public Library, 411 Third Avenue
June 1 – 12:00pm – 7:00pm Cedar Brook Park, Plainfield (takes place during Union County Rhythm & Blues by the Brook music festival)
The new ExpressVote XL voting machines will be rolled out in two stages for the Primary and General elections.
Voters in Berkeley Heights, Elizabeth, Fanwood, Garwood, Kenilworth, Mountainside, Union and Winfield will use the new machines for the 2019 Primary Election on June 4. Westfield will continue to use the new voting machines, following the successful pilot program last year.
Voters in Clark, Cranford, Hillside, Linden, New Providence, Plainfield, Rahway, Roselle, Roselle Park, Scotch Plains, Springfield and Summit will use the new machines for the 2019 General Election in November.
“The ExpressVote XL machines are the first new voting machines used by Union County voters in twenty years,” said Ms. DiRado. “They represent a significant investment in the election infrastructure of Union County, providing voters with ease of use and visual confirmation that their vote is recorded properly.”
The ExpressVote XL machines combine a touch screen ballot marking device with a voter verified paper audit trail, allowing the voter to review their voting choices to ensure their vote is accurately recorded.
The voter verified audit trail also provides a paper record of the election which can be used for recounts and will be used for audits.
For additional information, or to schedule a demonstration for civic organizations and community groups, visit the Board of Elections online at ucnj.org/board-of-elections or call 908-527-4123.
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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 is pleased to announce that residents can call the new DHS Action Line at 888-845-3434 or 908-558-2288 for rapid, personal assistance with any question, complaint or concern about services provided by the Union County Department of Human Services. An email option is also available at 
Union County, NJ – The Union County Police Department is cracking down on distracted drivers during April as part of the new statewide UDrive. UText. UPay. campaign.
Union, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites all members of the public to celebrate National Poetry Month with readings by Paul Muldoon, acclaimed author of 
Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Elections has added four more dates the schedule of hands-on public demonstrations for Union County’s new ExpressVote XL voting machines this spring.
