Union County, NJ – The Union County Freeholder Board is pleased to celebrate the diversity of its residents by offering ethnic non-profits the opportunity to hold a flag raising at the County complex in Elizabeth.
“New Jersey is one of the most diverse states in the country and Union County in particular is among the top most diverse counties in the state,” said Bette Jane Kowalski, Chair of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. “Ethnic diversity adds to the culture, education and quality of life of our residents and the Freeholder Board is proud to celebrate the contribution that ethnic groups make to our County.”
Flag Raising Ceremonies will be coordinated by the Union County Office of Community Engagement and Diversity and flag raisings will be held in front of the Union County Court House, located at 2 Broad Street, in Elizabeth.
“I pride myself on promoting diversity and inclusion of all within Union County which led to me work with Chair Kowalski on this initiative,” said Freeholder Sergio Granados. “Union County is made stronger and more progressive by our residents that come from different walks of life and a multitude of ethnicities coming together as one. Hosting these Flag raisings will showcase our diversity as well as our support of one another.”
For questions, information or rules and regulations on hosting a Flag Raising at the Union County Court House please reach out to Nathalie Hernandez, Coordinator of the Office of Community Engagement & Diversity at nahernandez@ucnj.org or 908-527-4880.
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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.
Free music festival kicks off summer schedule of free outdoor concerts, movies and live theater in Union County parks
Union County, NJ – The phenomenal Sheila E. tops this year’s Rhythm and Blues by the Brook free outdoor music festival presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Music fans of all ages are invited to bring their dancing shoes and enjoy a full afternoon of music, movement and family activities at Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield, rain or shine, on Saturday, June 1.
Also appearing on the bill are:
Thomas McClary and the Commodores Experience
Dean Shot and the Solidsenders tribute to Howlin’Wolf
Plainfield’s own Bindi Liebowitz of NBC’s The Voice, Season 11
“Rhythm and Blues by the Brook signals the start of free outdoor concerts and movies that everyone in Union County can enjoy together,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “In this time of history-making events for women, we are also very proud to present Sheila E, one of the most-recognized artists in American music, whose work has had a global impact.”
“Cedar Brook Park is a jewel in the crown for Union County, and it is a real pleasure to see residents and visitors alike gather here in Plainfield with friends and family for an afternoon of music, community, and healthy outdoor fun,” said Plainfield resident and Freeholder Rebecca Williams.
Sheila E. is best known for her legendary collaborations with Prince as well as several stints with Ringo Starr’s All-Star Band, her work on Cyndi Lauper’s At Last album, numerous solo projects, live performances, and television appearances, and her memoir, Beat of My Own Drum.
Her latest album, Message 4 America, reflects her connection with the past, present, and future of American music and the global community, featuring cameos with Ringo Starr, George Clinton, and Candy Dulfer.
“This album is a call for us to rise up and stand for something that is greater than our self-interest. In this album I use the most incredible music from the past to speak to this confusing time that we live in. The tracks on this album are some of the greatest protest and revolution songs and are reinvented to fit current times,” she explains.
This year’s Rhythm and Blues by the Brook festival will run from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., with DJ Bookeem serving as the MC throughout the day.
Thomas McClary’s Commodore Experience
As always, Rhythm and Blues by the Brook will feature free children’s activities including inflatables, pony rides and a petting zoo, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The event also includes a marketplace featuring food vendors, a free car show presented by G-Wiz, and a health and wellness fair by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.
Also included in Union County’s schedule of free outdoor events:
Summer Arts Festival: Bring a towel or yoga mat for free UC Fit Yoga sessions beginning at 6:30. The concerts begin at 7:30.
Echo Lake Park, Mountainside – Friday, June 21
New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
Echo Lake Park – Wednesdays beginning July 10
July 10 – Radio Petty (The Best of Tom Petty)
July 17 – Verdict
July 24 – Black Dog (The Led Zeppelin Tribute)
July 31 – Marc Muller’s Grateful Jamband (Grateful Dead)
Oak Ridge Park, Clark – Wednesdays beginning August 7
Aug 7 – American Rapture
Aug 14 – Rob Paparozzi’s Juke Joint
Aug 21 – Hey Bulldog (Tribute to the Beatles)
Aug 28 – We May Be Right (The Billy Joel Experience)
Family Fun and Flix: Bring your best moves to the movies! Enjoy a family fun DJ dance party beginning at 7:30 p.m. each evening, followed by a movie at dusk.
July 9 – “A Dog’s Way Home,” Wheeler Park, Linden
July 16 – “Hotel Transylvania 3,” Warinanco Park, Elizabeth
July 23 – “Lego Movie 2,” Warinanco Park, Elizabeth
July 29 – “Hotel Transylvania 3,” Rutgers Ave. Park, Hillside
July 30 – “Spiderman-Into the Spider-Verse,” Warinanco Park, Elizabeth
August 6 – “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” Meisel Park, Springfield (a National Night Out event)
August 12 – “Incredibles 2,” Tamaques Park, Westfield
August 13 – “Incredibles 2,” Warinanco Park, Elizabeth
Shakespeare in the Park: Performances by The Shakespeare Theatre Company of New Jersey
July 19 – Trailside Nature & Science Center, Mountainside – 6:30pm
July 28 – The Shakespeare Garden at Cedar Brook Park, Plainfield – 12:30pm
Other summer fun in Union County includes the Walter E. Ulrich Memorial Pool in Rahway and playgrounds with spray features at Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield, Mattano Park in Elizabeth, Warinanco Park in Roselle, Rizzuto Park in Union, Ponderosa Farm Park in Scotch Plains, Snyder Avenue Park in Berkeley Heights, and the newly opened Wheeler Park in Linden. The Loop Playground in the Watchung Reservation includes a cooling mist feature.
For rainy day activities, visit Union County’s Trailside Nature and Science Center. Admission is free seven days a week. A modest fee applies to special events and activities including the Wednesday afternoon matinee series.
For hours, locations, and more details about all Union County parks and activities visit ucnj.org/parks-activities or call the Department of Parks and Recreation at 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.
Union County, NJ – The Public Safety Committee of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites all members of the public, and all community stakeholders, to attend a countywide Town Hall meeting on the opioid epidemic.
The meeting, titled “The Opioid Epidemic: Silently Affecting Our Community,” will be held on Tuesday, May 21, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the McManus School auditorium, at 300 Edgewood Road in Linden. It is designed to provide the public with an open discussion about the scope and nature of opioid abuse in Union County, and an assessment of the tools that are available to fight it.
The Public Safety Committee and members of the public will hear reports from Union County law enforcement, public officials and professionals, including representatives from the nonprofit organization Prevention Links and other stakeholders.
For more information contact Karen Dinsmore, Assistant Director, Union County Department of Human Services, kdinsmore@ucnj.org or 908-527-4809.
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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 Chair Bette Jane Kowlaski (3rd from left) joined Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella, and Freeholders Rebecca Williams and Sergio Granados (l. to r.), to welcome 82 schools and organizations that received garden grants from the 2019 Union County Kids Dig In program on May 7. Credit: James Lowney/County of Union.
Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that grants have been awarded to 82 garden projects in 16 municipalities through the Union County Kids Dig In! school garden grant program.
“School gardens support collaborative learning and teamwork throughout the school community, including students, teachers, school staff, parents and neighborhood residents,” said Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski. “It is wonderful to see educators in Union County embrace the Kids Dig In grant program enthusiastically, and help instill respect for the Earth in the youth of our community.”
Schools with students in grades pre-K through 12 were eligible to apply for a Union County Kids Dig In grant. The grant program is part of the Union County Plant a Seed initiative for community service, education and environmental stewardship launched by Freeholder Sergio Granados when he served as Chairman in 2017.
“I am passionate about doing all we can for the youth of our county. I encourage students, school staff and parents to grow healthy produce for students at their own schools. Providing teachers with the tools necessary to expand educational opportunities is important, and this grant has exceeded expectations. Through this initiative that I created in 2017, we have awarded over 175 garden grants to schools throughout Union County, and introduced healthy food choices to thousands of children,” said Freeholder Granados. “To help teach our youth about donating to others, a portion of produce grown will be donated to soup kitchen, food pantries and those in need.”
The grant program covers produce gardens including vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries, herbs and spices, pollinator-attracting plants and plants for pest management. It does not cover ornamental plants or non-producing gardens.
Gardens must agree to set aside 30% of their harvest for community donation and enroll in Come Grow With Us!, a free countywide information and resource sharing network for community gardens run by the nonprofit organization Groundwork Elizabeth, which administers the Kids Dig In and the Union County Means Green community garden grant programs on behalf of the Freeholder Board.
This year Kids Dig In awarded grants for starting new gardens, including a choice of raised beds or Earth Boxes along with tools and equipment, as well as improvements for existing gardens.
The 2019 awardees are:
Clark
Valley Road School
Mother Seton Regional High School
Cranford
Walnut Avenue School
Lincoln School
Elizabeth
Joseph Battin School # 4
Abraham Lincoln #14
William F. Halloran # 22
George Washington Academy # 1
Winfield Scott School # 2
Nicolas S. LaCorte # 3
Mabel G. Holmes # 5
Mabel G. Holmes Annex
Toussant L. Ouverture # 6
Terence C. Reilly # 7
iPrep Academy # 8
Jerome Dunn Academy # 9
Elmora School # 12
Benjamin Franklin School # 13
Abraham Lincoln School Annex
Christopher Columbus # 15
Madison Monroe # 16
Robert Morris School # 18
Woodrow Wilson School # 19
John Marshall # 20
Victor Mravlag # 21
Nicholas M. Butler # 23
School # 25
Dr. Orlando Edreira Academy # 26
Dr. Antonia Pantoja # 27
Juan Pablo Duarte-Jose Julian Marti # 28
Dr. Albert Einstein Academy # 29
Ronald Reagan Academy
Frances C. Smith # 50
Donald Stewart Center Early Childhood
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. # 52
Alexander Hamilton Preparatory Academy
John E. Dwyer Technology Academy
John E. Dwyer Annex
William F. Halsey Academy
Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy
Thomas A Edison Career & Technical
Elizabeth High School # 89 FJCA
Christian Bollwage Finance Academy
Garwood
Garwood Lincoln School
Hillside
Walter O’ Krumbiegel MS
Hillside High School
George Washington School
P. Morris Early Childhood Center
Calvin Coolidge School
Hurden Looker School
Kenilworth
Saint Theresa School
Linden
Highland Avenue School # 10
Linden High School Academy of Excellence
School #4
School # 8
Public School # 2
Linden School 1
Elementary School Five
Myles J. McManus Middle School
New Providence
Morris-Union Jointure Commission
Plainfield
Plainfield Academy of Arts & Advanced Study
Emerson Community School – 2 applications
Cedarbrook Community School
Evergreen School
Jefferson School
Rahway
Rahway High School
Madison School
Grover Cleveland Elementary School
Rahway High School Alternative Center
Roselle
Grace Wilday Junior
Washington Elementary School
Leonard V. Moore Middle School
Scotch Plains
William J. McGinn Elementary School
Springfield
Jonathan Dayton High School
Edward V. Walton Early Childhood Center
Union
Battle Hill Elementary School
Westfield
Jefferson Elementary School
McKinley Elementary School
Tamaques School
Crossroads School
Westfield YMCA Preschool/Kindergarten
Westlake School
Quick links to all Union County environmental programs, activities and services are available through 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.
The Sensory Friendly Trail in Union County’s Watchung Reservation.
Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the Department of Parks & Recreation is receiving an Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties, in recognition of the County’s efforts to provide inclusive recreational facilities for people with disabilities.
The award, which cites the creation of a Sensory Trail in the Watchung Reservation and a universal-access playground in Mattano Park in Elizabeth, marks the second consecutive year the County is being honored by NACo. Last year’s awards singled out the Department’s Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs for programs designed to increase and encourage interest in local history.
“The National Association of Counties (NACo) is pleased to grant Union County a 2019 Achievement Award for its program titled “Experiencing Nature, Experiencing Play: Taking Inclusive From Lip Service to Reality,” said NACo spokeswoman Lindsey Maggard. “Congratulations to everyone involved in developing this innovative program! Your hard work will yield positive results for Union County residents.”
Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski said she could not be more pleased with the national recognition Parks is receiving.
“With upwards of 20 percent of Americans estimated to have some form of disability,” Freeholder Chair Kowalski said, “this is not something that just the County needs to address, but at all levels of government, and the private sector. We need to find ways to bring people with disabilities into the mainstream so that we enjoy our lives together.”
Over the years, Parks provided opportunities for youngsters and adults with disabilities, including barn dances and crafts classes, along with ramp access to spray parks and playgrounds. But there was still a long way to go.
The new Universal Playground at Union County’s Mattano Park in Linden.
“In 2016, Parks opened a playground at Mattano where the elements were designed to enable youngsters with physical and sensory issues an opportunity to have fun, to be in a place that fully included them,” Kowalski said.
“But playgrounds were not enough,” said Freeholder Sergio Granados, who chaired the freeholder board last year. ”Our Trailside Nature & Science Center staff worked together with our disabilities staff, visiting sites throughout the region and researching online what to include To make this trail inclusive to all.”
The new Sensory Trail opened a whole new world for visitors and now enables Trailside to offer programming for people with special needs including those in wheelchairs, including a new summer camp for youth with special needs. We continue to work on ways to make sure our parks system is accessible and inclusive to all who want to attend them,” he said.
The Sensory Trail addresses both physical and developmental disabilities with: a smooth, ADA compliant path, a knotted rope for the blind, flowers with texture and scents, and more.
“But perhaps most importantly, it is all outside for everyone to experience while breathing the crisp woodlands air, hearing birds sing, even spotting the occasional deer. This is inclusion,” Kowalski said. “While there are more than 40 miles of trails in the Reservation, this the first path where people with disabilities can experience our crown jewel of the County Parks system.”
NACo President Greg Cox said, “Counties implement innovative programs that enhance residents’ quality of life every day. This year’s Achievement Award-winning programs demonstrate how counties build healthy, safe and vibrant communities across America.”
Nationally, awards are given in 18 different categories that reflect the vast, comprehensive services counties provide. The categories include children and youth, criminal justice, county administration, information technology, health, civic engagement and many more.
For more information about all Union County recreation programs, call the Parks Department at 908-527-4900 or visit online at ucnj.org/parks-activities.
For register for upcoming recreation programs for people with special needs, and to register for all recreation programs, visit secure.rec1.com/NJ/union-county-nj/catalog.
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 Chair Bette Jane Kowalski and Freeholders Rebecca Williams and Andrea Staten joined Union County Department of Human Services Director Debbie-Ann Anderson in congratulating Jaimie DeDea of Westfield who was named the “Union County Municipal Alliance Volunteer of the Year” at the Local Advisory Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (LACADA) annual volunteer recognition dinner in Union.
Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski and Freeholders Rebecca Williams and Andrea Staten joined Union County Department of Human Services Director Debbie-Ann Anderson in congratulating the Local Advisory Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (LACADA) 2019 Union County Municipal Alliance Volunteers of the Year at the LACADA annual volunteer recognition dinner in Union.
This year the Freeholders, through the County’s Department of Human Services, Division of Individual and Family Support Services, are proud to pay special tribute to the following 10 volunteers:
Jaimie Wronski of Clark;
Detective Nadia Jones of Cranford;
Virginia Marinelli of Garwood;
Officers Elliot Bernard and Mike Rusin of Fanwood;
Lorraine Messiah of Hillside;
Jamie Lugo of Kenilworth;
Thomas A. Solsky of Linden;
Tara Smith of New Providence;
Ashley Davis of Plainfield;
Malika DeJesus Quevedo of Roselle, and
Jaimie DeDea of Westfield, the “Union County Municipal Alliance Volunteer of the Year.”
Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi announces that Vote-by-Mail ballots will be available in the County Clerk’s Offices in Elizabeth and Westfield starting on Wednesday, May 8, to registered voters who wish to cast their vote by mail ballot for the 2019 Primary Election on June 4.
The Main Office of the County Clerk is located in Room 113 at the Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, in Elizabeth. Regular office hours in Elizabeth are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The County Clerk’s Westfield Annex is located in the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East in Westfield. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
“Voters who have any questions about obtaining a Vote-by-Mail ballot can call my office, and my staff will be happy to help you,” said Ms. Rajoppi.
The County Clerk’s Elections Division may be reached by phone at 908-527-4996 or by email at ucvote@ucnj.org.
All up-to-date elections information for Union County voters is available online through the County Clerk’s elections website, unioncountyvotes.com, and through the Union County Votes mobile app.
For more details about all County Clerk programs and services including passports and deed recording, visit online at ucnj.org/county-clerk or call 908-527-4787.
Ribbon cutting to be held on Saturday, May 18th, 11 a.m.
Hillside, NJ—The Union County Freeholder Board will cut the ribbon on a new, expanded playground at Conant Park in Hillside on Saturday, May 18th at 11 a.m.
“Every child should be able to enjoy a playground in or near their neighborhood, and participate in enriching experiences with friends, family and neighbors from all walks of life,” said Freeholder Chairman Bette Jane Kowalski. “The Freeholder Board continues to make investments in all areas of our parks system—including Conant Park–that are improving our County’s quality of life and promoting healthy, outdoor activities for our families.”
Freeholder Angela Garretson, former Mayor and resident of Hillside, said:
“Conant Park is one of the true gems of the County Parks system, and we are pleased to cut the ribbon on this playground that will serve generations of our children. The Freeholder Board remains committed to providing increased recreational opportunities for all, and I am proud to make this vision a reality in my hometown.”
The playground which replaces an older antiquated one, offers a fully-accessible, boundless play space for children of all abilities, and ages. The surface is soft and rubber bonded.
There are approximately seven slides, ADA ramps and decks featuring spiral stairs, therapeutic rings, chamber archways, suspension bridges, Zero G accessible swings (2-5 year olds, and 5-12 year olds), and belt swings, plastic bongo drums, climbing stations and ropes.
The Marturano Recreation Company of Spring Lake built the playground, which was installed by Whirl Construction of Port Monmouth.
This playground was destroyed last year almost immediately after its construction, during a late winter storm, and had to replaced, following payments by insurance.
Union County, NJ – The Union County Freeholder Board is pleased to celebrate the diversity of its residents by offering ethnic non-profits the opportunity to hold a flag raising at the County complex in Elizabeth.
Free music festival kicks off summer schedule of free outdoor concerts, movies and live theater in Union County parks
Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi announces that Vote-by-Mail ballots will be available in the County Clerk’s Offices in Elizabeth and Westfield starting on Wednesday, May 8, to registered voters who wish to cast their vote by mail ballot for the 2019 Primary Election on June 4.
