Union County Freeholders Bruce H. Bergen, Angle G. Estrada and Alexander Mirabella joined Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli in welcoming Master Sgt. Richard Thompson (Ret.) of the Union County Office of Veteran Services as the guest speaker at the Union County Prisoners of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Remembrance Day ceremony in Elizabeth. Also in attendance were Roselle Park Mayor Carl Hokanson, Union Committeeman Clifton People and Kenilworth VFW 2230 Commander Robert Jeans.
The annual event is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders to honor and remember prisoners of war and those missing in action. The National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed each year on the third Friday of September.
Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will present a free workshop, “Emergency Preparedness for Arts & Cultural Organizations,” on Tuesday, October 2 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Warinanco Sports Center in Roselle.
“Planning ahead for emergencies is vital for the long term survival of any business, and the same applies to our nonprofit and cultural community,” Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Our arts and cultural organizations are an important part of the Union County economy. We want to help ensure that they can connect with resources to help them manage a crisis effectively, and recover as quickly as possible afterwards.”
Attendees will learn about the disaster planning process and contents of a disaster plan, hear about business continuity issues and receive information about resources to help with planning in order to protect people and property.
The workshop will be conducted by Ellen Korpar, an emergency preparedness expert and a staff member and volunteer with the Red Cross. Ms. Korpar has been involved in the response to 17 nationally declared disasters, working primarily with cultural organizations.
The workshop is funded in part by a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. It is presented through the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, in the Department of Parks and Recreation.
The workshop is free but pre-registration is required by October 1.
To register, use the online form for the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at ucnj.org/parks.
For more information about the workshop, email the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at culturalinfo@ucnj.org, or call 908-558-2550 (NJ Relay users dial 711).
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.
Five local leaders honored for community achievement
Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites the community to join the County’s first Hispanic Heritage Celebration on Sunday, September 23rd, from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Union County Performing Arts Center, 1601 Irving Street in Rahway. The Freeholder Board is partnering with the City of Rahway for the event, which is free and open to the general public.
The event includes live performances, an awards ceremony, food tastings and more. Public parking is available at the Performing Arts Center’s Hamilton Stage location nearby, at 360 Hamilton Street.
“It is an honor, as Chairman, to host the County’s first Hispanic Heritage event. Now more than ever, it is important to celebrate the diversity and cultural ties that build a strong, inclusive community,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados, who is of Salvadoran-American descent. “Hispanics continue to make major contributions in all aspects of American life. Whether in the sphere of civic service, entrepreneurship, innovation, or arts and entertainment, the influence of Hispanic culture is built into the DNA of our great nation.”
Attendees are invited to explore the richness of the Hispanic culture through various musical and dance performances, art and entertainment. The day’s activities will be capped off with a performance by the Mike Ramirez Salsa Band.
Five local leaders will be honored for their community achievements. The 2018 Hispanic Heritage Honorees are:
Edwin Gomez – Elizabeth: Business Award
Maritza Martinez – Plainfield: Community Engagement Award
Louis DeMondo – Kenilworth: Public Safety Award
Jeremy Mojica – Rahway: Community Leadership Award
Frank Cuesta – Elizabeth: Education Award
Chairman Granados will be joined by Freeholder Angel Estrada to present the awards, along with local officials.
The Hispanic Heritage Month event is coordinated through the Union County Office of Community Engagement and Diversity. The office is part of Freeholder Chairman Granados’s 2018 “Moving Union County Forward” initiatives for supporting inclusion, individual empowerment and community engagement in Union County. For more information please contact the office coordinator, Nathalie Hernandez, 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.
Please join us this morning to honor, to remember, and to reaffirm our commitment to account for all who served.
Due to today’s weather, the POW/MIA Remebrance Day commemoration has been moved indoors to the County Administration Building, located behind the County Courthouse at 10 Elizabethtown Plaza.
The remembrance ceremony will take place in the Freeholder Meeting Room on the 6th Floor at 11:15 this morning, Friday September 14.
“This annual public ceremony pays tribute and respect to our service men and women in all wars, who were prisoners of war, as well as those who are missing in action,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Please join us as we pause and honor the sacrifices of our military and their families.”
For more information, call the Freeholder Board at 908-527-4219.
Union County Freeholders Alexander Mirabella and Rebecca Williams present a resolution to Judith Hurok of Scotch Plains recognizing her for her hard work as a Mathematics teacher at the Union County Academy for Information Technology as her distinguished career comes to a close. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholder Angle G. Estrada present a resolution to Sheena Spence congratulating her on being named the first female firefighter in the Elizabeth Fire Department. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholder Angle G. Estrada present a resolution to Officer Leonardo Nunes of the Elizabeth Police Department honoring him for his heroic efforts to rescue and save the life of a young child after she had fallen into a swimming pool.
On August 26th, Officer Nunes arrived at a home where a 1-year old baby girl had fallen into a swimming pool. She had been underwater for about a minute before Officer Nunes rescued her and revived her using CPR. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Union County, NJ – On Saturday, October 27 Union County residents with unwanted guns in their possession can turn them in for up to $250 each at either of two locations, in Elizabeth and Plainfield. Anyone turning in a gun may do so anonymously.
“Gun buyback events have safely taken hundreds of guns off the streets and out of our homes and neighborhoods. Buybacks also help raise awareness about the risk of gun violence in our community,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “If you have a gun in your possession that you no longer want, for any reason, I encourage you to participate in the October 27 buyback.”
Gun buybacks are designed to enable anyone to turn in any gun, in any condition, with no questions asked. The program provides for residents to turn in up to three firearms and receive up to $250 for each weapon.
People with guns to turn in can bring them to either the Elizabeth or Plainfield location any time between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 27:
Elizabeth: The Macedonia Baptist Church, at 1251 Fairmount Avenue.
Plainfield: The Visions of God Family Worship Church, 350 Leland Avenue.
Participants are advised that weapons transported by car must be put in a closed container and kept in the trunk.
To reduce any risk of theft or mishap, participants are also advised to proceed directly to the drop-off location, without making any stops for errands or social calls.
The gun buyback event is supported by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and sponsored by the Union County Prosecutor and the Union County Sheriff with the Union County Division of Police and the police departments of the cities of Elizabeth and Plainfield.
For questions about the buyback event, call the Union County Department of Public Safety at 908-654-9816. (908) 654.9816
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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 Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholders Bruce H. Bergen and Angel G. Estrada congratulate Joann Harper of Community Access Unlimited (CAU), Aisha Arroyo of UCA, Cathy Waters of the Urban League of Union County, Michael A. Buckley of the Elizabeth Housing Authority and Edwin Pacheco of CAU as among the first 44 graduates of the 2017-2018 Union County Leadership Fellows Institute during a ceremony at CAU in Elizabeth. They were joined by Union County Department of Human Services Director Debbie-Ann Anderson and Assistant Director Karen Dinsmore. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce the first graduating class of the new Non-Profit Consortium Leadership Fellows Institute. The 44 graduates were recruited from local non-profit organizations in partnership with the Union County Non-Profit Consortium, with the goal of developing the next generation of informed, effective executives in the non-profit sector.
“On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I am very proud to congratulate the inaugural class of the Non-Profit Consortium Leadership Fellows Institute, said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Non-profits are an important part of the foundation that sustains our social safety net, and they also provide high quality employment opportunities and volunteer experiences that enrich life in our community. With the skills gained through this program, our graduates will make a real difference in the lives of Union County residents, especially those who need a helping hand.”
The Non-Profit Leadership Fellows Institute was launched in 2017 by Freeholder Bruce H. Bergen, when he served as Chairman. It represents the first, focused investment that County government has made to support skills and training for the next generation of non-profit executive leaders.
“The program builds on our workforce development initiatives, which are aimed at ensuring that important economic sectors in Union County can draw from a rich pool of talent,” said Freeholder Bergen. “Through the Leadership Fellows Institute, we can help ensure that our non-profits continue to benefit from informed, effective and seasoned leadership.”
The Union County Non-Profit Leadership Fellows Institute is a public-private partnership funded through $5,000 in seed money from County government, $500 contributions made by the non-profit organizations for each candidate they send to the Institute, and the generosity of private sector sponsors.
Of the 44 graduates, 22 were sponsored through the Freeholder Board and 22 were sponsored through the nonprofit organization Community Access Unlimited.
Each of the participants attended 11 skill-building sessions based on a dynamic, interactive model. Peer learning is also an important element of the development program.
For more information about participating in or supporting the Non-Profit Leadership Fellows Institute, Sidney Blanchard, Executive Director, Community Access Unlimited at 908-354-3040 or sblanchard@caunj.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.
Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage (3rd from left), Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados (3rd from right), and Groundwork Elizabeth Executive Director Jonathan Phillips (2nd from right) joined with Elizabeth seniors and staff of the Peterstown Community Center and Groundwork to plant a new waist-high “senior” bed with fall crops. Credit: James Lowney/County of Union.
Union County, NJ – Seniors at the Peterstown Community Center in Elizabeth celebrated the delivery of a new waist-high “senior” garden bed earlier this week, with the help of Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados, Groundwork Elizabeth Executive Director Jonathan Phillips and others. The new bed was funded through a grant from the Union County Means Green Community Garden Grants program.
“Gardeners in Union County know that summer does not mark the end of the growing season,” said Chairman Granados. “Many crops thrive in cool, rainy weather, and the Freeholder Board is proud to help our seniors enjoy the many benefits of a community garden throughout the fall months. The unique senior beds provide space for those using wheelchairs and other devices, so they can participate in garden activities along with their friends and neighbors.”
The senior bed was built and installed by staff from Groundwork. The raised height and slanted sides of the new bed enable seniors and people with disabilities to enjoy gardening from a standing or sitting position, rather than bending or kneeling.
Groundwork staff also provided seniors at the Peterstown Community Center with a gardening workshop, demonstrating how to plant the new bed with lettuce and radish seedlings for a fall harvest. The senior bed joins a sprawling layout of garden beds already established at the Peterstown Center, located at 408 Palmer Street.
This year the garden yielded a bumper crop of fresh eggplant, tomatoes, basil, kale and much more.
The Union County Means Green grant program began in 2016 with the aim of introducing the benefits of community gardening to residents throughout Union County, including fresh produce, educational activities, recreation and community service. The program is funded by the Freeholder Board and administered by Groundwork Elizabeth as part of the organization’s “Come Grow with Us” community garden network.
The Freeholder Board also supports the Master Gardeners program, which trains and certifies members of the public to provide gardening guidance and activities for their communities. The program is run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, with offices at the Union County complex in Westfield and a large demonstration garden in Mountainside.
The next Master Gardeners training session is coming up this fall. Any Union County resident can join, regardless of experience. For more information visit the Extension online at ucnj.org/rce or contact Tamisha Hopkins at thopkins@ucnj.org or 908-654-9854, extension 2.
For more information about Groundwork Elizabeth and Come Grow with Us, visit online at groundworkelizabeth.org, call 908-289-0262, or email elizabethnj@groundworkusa.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 Chosen Freeholders will present a free workshop, “Emergency Preparedness for Arts & Cultural Organizations,” on Tuesday, October 2 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Warinanco Sports Center in Roselle.
Five local leaders honored for community achievement
ase join us this morning to honor, to remember, and to reaffirm our commitment to account for all who served.
Union County, NJ – On Saturday, October 27 Union County residents with unwanted guns in their possession can turn them in for up to $250 each at either of two locations, in Elizabeth and Plainfield. Anyone turning in a gun may do so anonymously.
