Category: Public Info

featuring speeches from Nino Quaglia, President of the Elizabeth Chapter of UNICO, Santi Buscemi, from Plainfields’ UNICO, Geri Samuels, District X Unico, and Mike Guarino of Elizabeth

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announced that Union County’s tenth annual Columbus Day Flag Raising event is set for Friday, Oct. 5th, at 1 p.m., on the steps of the historic Union County Courthouse.

“This year is a special anniversary, as we mark the tenth year, and we will be featuring speakers from UNICO who we have partnered with to create this event,” said Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, who is emceeing the program, and founded the flag raising event. “This is a celebration of Italian culture and history. Italian-Americans continue to make extraordinary contributions to the rich, diverse fabric of  our County, New Jersey and America.”

“Italians have had a tremendous influence in so many areas of our life from great art, literature music and food,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “The flag provides all an opportunity to celebrate this great culture, and celebrate the ongoing contributions of Italian Americans.”

Speakers include: Nino Quaglia, the President of the Elizabeth Chapter of UNICO, Geri Samuel, a former Mayor and Councilmember in Scotch Plains who is the UNICO District X Governor,  Santi V. Buscemi, an English Professor at Middlesex County College and an author who is a member and past President of Plainfields’ UNICO, and Mike Guarino, the President of the Columbus Parade Association of Union County.

UNICO is the nation’s largest Italian American service organization whose chapters and members engage in promoting and defending Italian culture and heritage, as well as providing scholarships, engaging in community service and other philanthropic endeavors.

The courthouse is located at 2 Broad St. in Elizabeth at the corner of Rahway Avenue. In the event of rain, the program will be moved indoors to the County Courthouse Rotunda.

UNICO District X and Plainfields’ UNICO work to organize and co-sponsor the event.

Italian-style refreshments will be served after the program in the historic Union County Courthouse. Parking (pay) is available in the Midtown area at the J. Christian Bollwage Parking deck at Elizabethtown Plaza and Caldwell Place. A second deck is Elizabeth’s Parking Deck No. 6 on Jefferson Avenue and Dickinson Street—the entrance is on Dickinson Street. 

Union County Freeholders Alexander Mirabella and Freeholder Christopher Hudak present resolutions to 2018 Linden Junior Miss Polonia Hailey Birch, The General Pulaski Memorial Parade Committee of St. Theresa’s Church of Linden President Sue Lukenda and Grand Marshal Joseph Birch congratulating them on participating in the 81stAnnual Pulaski Day Parade. The St. Theresa contingent will be marching down 5th Ave in N.Y.C. from 29th St. to 53rd St. on Sunday October 7th, 2018.  Earlier in the evening, the entire Freeholder Board joined the parade committee in raising the Polish flag outside the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. (Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Open spaces are available for the Archery Group Safety Lesson this Saturday, September 29^th from 10am-12pm.  Please go to ucnj.org/archery to register or call 908-527-4900 or 908-654-9805.

featuring speeches from Nino Quaglia, President of the Elizabeth Chapter of UNICO, Santi Buscemi, from Plainfields’ UNICO, Pete Capodice of Union County Vo Tech, Geri Samuels, District X Unico, and Mike Guarino of Elizabeth

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announced that Union County’s tenth annual Columbus Day Flag Raising event is set for Friday, Oct. 5th, at 1 p.m., on the steps of the historic Union County Courthouse.

“This year is a special anniversary, as we mark the tenth year, and we will be featuring speakers from UNICO who we have partnered with to create this event,” said Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, who is emceeing the program, and founded the flag raising event. “This is a celebration of Italian culture and history. Italian-Americans continue to make extraordinary contributions to the rich, diverse fabric of  our County, New Jersey and America.”

“Italians have had a tremendous influence in so many areas of our life from great art, literature music and food,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “The flag provides all an opportunity to celebrate this great culture, and celebrate the ongoing contributions of Italian Americans.”

Speakers include: Nino Quaglia, the President of the Elizabeth Chapter of UNICO, Geri Samuel, a former Mayor and Councilmember in Scotch Plains who is the UNICO District X Governor,  Santi V. Buscemi, an English Professor at Middlesex County College and an author who is a member and past President of Plainfields’ UNICO, Peter Capodice, the Superintendent of the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools system, and Mike Guarino, the President of the Columbus Parade Association of Union County.

UNICO is the nation’s largest Italian American service organization whose chapters and members engage in promoting and defending Italian culture and heritage, as well as providing scholarships, engaging in community service and other philanthropic endeavors.

The courthouse is located at 2 Broad St. in Elizabeth at the corner of Rahway Avenue. In the event of rain, the program will be moved indoors to the County Courthouse Rotunda.

UNICO District X and Plainfields’ UNICO work to organize and co-sponsor the event.

Italian-style refreshments will be served after the program in the historic Union County Courthouse. Parking (pay) is available in the Midtown area at the J. Christian Bollwage Parking deck at Elizabethtown Plaza and Caldwell Place. A second deck is Elizabeth’s Parking Deck No. 6 on Jefferson Avenue and Dickinson Street—the entrance is on Dickinson Street. 

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 Monday, October 1st to registered voters who wish to cast their vote by mail ballot for the 2018 General Election.

Election Day 2018 is Tuesday, November 6th. The deadline to apply for a Vote-By-Mail ballot through the mail is Monday, October 29^th and the application must be received by the County Clerk’s Office before or on this date.

The deadline to apply in person is Monday, November 5th by 3:00 p.m.

“I encourage voters to use Vote-by-Mail to ensure that their ballots are cast,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “It is especially important to exercise the right to vote this November, as voters will decide on U.S. Senate and House of Representative races, as well as county, municipal and school board elections.”

The vote-by-mail process begins when the voter applies for a ballot. There are several ways to obtain an application form:

• Download an application form through the County Clerk’s new elections website at com.
• Request a form by mail or email by using the free Union County Votes mobile app, calling the County Clerk’s elections division at 908-527-4996, or emailing the County Clerk at ucvote@ucnj.org.
• Pick up a form at a local municipal building, or at the County Clerk’s offices in Elizabeth and Westfied.

Ms. Rajoppi also reminds residents to allow ample time to apply for a Vote-by-Mail ballot, receive it, and cast it.

“Under a new state law, Vote-by-Mail applicants can now choose to automatically receive their ballots for every election, so please be sure to read the form carefully and check the option that works best for you,” said Ms. Rajoppi.

Voters can mail their ballot back or cast it in person at the County Clerk’s offices in Elizabeth and Westfield. The deadline for in-person ballots is 3:00 p.m. on Monday, November 5. The law requires that voters choosing this option present a valid New Jersey driver’s license or a New Jersey-issued identification card.

For those voters who mail their ballot, it must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received within 48 hours of Election Day to be counted.

Ms. Rajoppi emphasized that every valid Vote-by-Mail ballot is counted and entered into the official, certified results for each election.

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. 

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

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The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders reminds residents who work along and visit the Route 22 stretch from Union, through Kenilworth and Springfield to take advantage of the Route 22 Safety Shuttle.

“Union County is committed to improving safety conditions, both for county residents and visitors, that travel to work and shop along the Route 22 corridor,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “For the past 11 years, the Route 22 Safety Shuttle has provided a more secure means of crossing for pedestrians.”

The Route 22 Safety Shuttle was implemented in October, 2007 to provide a safer means of crossing the highway to transit-dependent employees of retail, office, and industrial businesses, as well as local residents.

The Shuttle runs Monday through Friday from 6:30 am to 11:00 pm., Saturday 6:45 am to 9:45 pm and Sunday from 7:30 am to 7:45 pm every 30 minutes, based on traffic conditions.

The Route 22 Safety Shuttle is has three routes that, combined, stop at all NJ Transit designated bus stops from Union through Kenilworth and Springfield. Service is offered seven days a week, 362 days per year and is available free of charge to the general public as well as county employees. To see a map of the Rt. 22 Shuttle routes visit ucnj.org/shuttle22routes.

“It’s important to remind residents about the Route 22 Safety Shuttle since this stretch of road lacks traffic controls, which aid in pedestrian safety,” says Freeholder Alexander Mirabella. “This free service is the safest option for pedestrians to cross Route 22.”

The Shuttle was implemented in a collaborative effort by the NJ Department of Transportation, NJ Transit and the County of Union. In the 11 years since implementation the service has provided over 700,000 one-way rides to passengers.

The NJDOT Route 22 Pedestrian Safety Study recommended improvements to reduce or eliminate pedestrian accidents and fatalities along the 3.5 mile center median section of Route 22 in Union, Kenilworth and Springfield. The establishment of the Safety Shuttle was a cost-effective non-engineering solution after alternatives such as a traffic signals and a pedestrian overpass were previously rejected as too costly or otherwise unacceptable.

For further information, contact the Union County Paratransit System by phone at 908-659-5000 or visit ucnj.org/paratransit.

Union County residents seeking information about services available for senior adults age 60 and above will have a choice of eight (8) dates and locations in October to speak with staff from the county’s Department of Human Services, Division on Aging.  Staff will be present at public libraries in Westfield; Clark; Plainfield; Elizabeth, Summit; and, Union, and at the Rahway Senior Center.

“The purpose of “ASK” is to help residents obtain government programs and services available to seniors and their caregivers”, said Sergio Granados, Chairman of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.  “The ASK program will bring our knowledgeable, experienced Division on Aging staff, based in Elizabeth, to locations throughout Union County to make it easier for residents to get expert assistance close to home.”

Staff from the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection/ADRC have been traveling throughout Union County providing information about services such as home delivered meals; respite care; home care; adult day care; and, support services for caregivers through the Aging Services Kiosk or ASK community outreach effort.  Assistance with completing applications and forms is also provided.

The October 2018 dates and locations are:

Monday, October 1
Westfield Public Library
550 E. Broad Street
Westfield, 07090
10:00 am to 12:00 noon

Thursday, October 4
Rahway Senior Center
1306 Esterbrook Avenue
Rahway, 07065
10:00 am – 12:00 noon

Monday, October 15
Clark Public Library
303 Westfield Avenue
Clark, 07066
10:00 am to 12:00 noon

Friday, October 19
Plainfield Public Library
800 Park Avenue
Plainfield, 07060
10:00 am to 12:00 noon

Friday, October 26
Elizabeth Public Library
Elmora Branch
740 W. Grand
Elizabeth, 07202
10:00 – 12:00

Monday, October 29
Summit Public Library
75 Maple Street
Summit, 07901
10:30 am to 12:30 pm

Tuesday, October 30
Union Public Library
1980 Morris Avenue
Union, 07083
12:00 noon to 2:00 pm

Monday, November 5
Elizabeth Public Library
LaCorte Branch @ Peterstown
408 Palmer St.
Elizabeth, 07202
10:00-12:00

All Union County residents are welcome to attend these ASK events.

The Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection’s (ADRC) goal is to promote wellness, independence, dignity and choice for seniors and their families. It is one of 670 “Area Agencies on Aging” nationwide established under the federal Older Americans Act.  The division has information printed in both English and Spanish.

“The Aging & Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) model, a state initiative that Union County has embraced since 2012, is designed to improve service for seniors and the disabled,” said Union County’s Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “These services can enable seniors and the disabled to remain in their homes and communities.”

Check for the upcoming schedule of stops for an ASK kiosk coming near you as dates and locations are posted in local newspapers, the Senior News, Facebook, Twitter and the Union County website, www.ucnj.org.

For further information about the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection, call the division’s toll-free number: 1-888-280-8226, or 908-527- 4870 or 4858. Spanish speakers may call 908-527-4863.  Information may be viewed on the Union County government website at www.ucnj.org. 

Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholders Alexander Mirabella and Rebecca Williams present a resolution to Union County College President Dr. Margaret McMenamin and Dr. Victoria C. Ukachukwu, Dean of the Union County College Plainfield Campus, congratulating them on the 25th Anniversary of the Union County College Campus in Plainfield. (Photo by Jim Lowney/ County of Union)