Category: Public Info

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to remind residents that a free Countywide scrap metal recycling event will be held on Saturday, April 21 in Rahway and Cranford.  A wide variety of metal goods, from household appliances to gutters and sheds, are included in the program.

“This countywide program helps to fill a service gap in some Union County municipalities that currently have no pickup for scrap metal recycling,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “As a community, we benefit across the board by recycling more, and throwing away less waste, and making the most of our resources.”

The scrap metal recycling program is available for use by households, commercial establishments, nonprofit agencies and other organizations and is available the first Thursday and third Saturday of each month, running from April through November. Each event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.  

Scrap metal from any municipality may be brought to either of the following drop-off centers:

• Cranford:  Emergency Services/Traffic Enforcement, 151 Kenilworth Blvd.;
• Rahway:  Service Yard in Rahway Park (near pool), St. Georges Avenue.

Acceptable items for recycling include aluminum scrap, aluminum cans, aluminum siding, bicycles, brass, copper, dishwashers, electric fans, fencing (chain/wire), freezers, gutters, irons, lawn furniture, metal cabinets, metal sheds, microwaves, pots & pans, railings, refrigerators, stoves, tire rims, toasters, washers & dryers, window frames (no glass), and wire hangers.

In the event of extreme bad weather, individual recycling events may be cancelled.

For more information, upcoming dates or directions to the recycling locations, an information on all Union County recycling programs and services, visit the Bureau of Recycling and Planning at ucnj.org/recycle or call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation are pleased to announce an exciting season of spring programs offered at Trailside nature and Science Center.

“Now that Spring has arrived it is time to go outside and have some fun,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Trailside’s location in the scenic Watchung Reservation provides the perfect outdoor classroom for learning about the environment and the natural world around us.”

Register now for spring workshops on line at www.ucnj.org/trailside.

Parents with children up to age three are invited to join the Toddler Time series of workshops that meet weekly on Thursdays, Fridays and now Saturdays from 10:00-11:00 a.m. These classes incorporate sensory hikes, stories, crafts and activities to acquaint adults and children with the natural world. This spring out Toddler Time families will investigate the water cycle while traveling through hands-on water stations, celebrate Earth Day by marking a craft with recycled materials, visit Australia on an imaginary journey to see koalas, kangaroos and kookaburras and more.

For children, ages 3 or 4, with an adult, Trailside offers Two of Us, an interactive program that encourages nature discovery through hikes and other indoor/outdoor activities with a parent. This program is offered on Tuesdays from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. or Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Participants can learn about the secret life of bees, investigate the life of a caterpillar and use their imagination to dive into the ocean to visit clams, sharks, clownfish and whales.

Small Fry Days, a drop-off program for children ages 4-6, is offered on Tuesdays, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. This workshop series is designed to foster an awareness and appreciation of the natural world through hikes, explorations and nature related activities. Participants in this interesting and educational workshop series will learn how and why birds build nests, find out ways to keep our Earth clean and green and learn some f-ant-astic facts about ants.

Children in the first and second grades can take park in Afterschool Explorations, a drop-off program designed to acquaint children with nature explorations, hikes and outdoor activities. Children enrolled in this workshop series meet on Thursdays at 3:30-4:45 p.m. Learn how to use binoculars to identify some migratory and backyard birds, investigate the diversity of life found in a stream, make your own field notebook from upcycled materials and find out how and why animals communicate. Let your ears lead you on a spring walk in search of spring sounds.

Trailside’s spring workshops begin in April and continue through mid-June. Registrants can sign up for the series or choose only topics of interest. Pre-registration is required and the fee is $10.00 per class for Union County residents and $12.00 per class for out-of-county residents. Walk-ins can be accommodated if space permits.

For additional information about spring workshops, family programs, teacher training, special events and Trailside Talks for adults and high school students, please call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside nature & Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of paintings by Alicia Flynn Cotter of Mountainside in the gallery space at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, located at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth. A selection of her work entitled “Spring Awakens” is on display at the Pearl Street Gallery until June 8. The gallery is open on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“Ms. Cotter is a talented artist and we are pleased to have her works exhibited at the Pearl Street Gallery,” said Freeholder Bruce H. Bergen, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board. “The exhibit showcases Ms. Cotter’s fine skills as a painter of nature.”

Ms. Cotter says of her work, “As an artist I am inspired by nature with a focus on modernizing traditional subjects like a garden or beach through style and/or composition. My ideas stem from memory, personal photos from trips and everyday life.”

Alicia Flynn Cotter is an artist and calligrapher with a BFA from Kean University and BS from Boston College. As a member of the Contemporary Art Group, she participates in group shows at various venues in New Jersey including galleries at Overlook Hospital, the New Providence Public Library, and Mayo Performing Arts Center.

Ms. Cotter received Second Place in the Member Show at the Watchung Art Center in 2017, and an Honorable Mention in the Contemporary Art Group Member Show in 2016.

Union County artists interested in exhibiting in the gallery space are welcome to apply. Artists’ works must be able to be hung on a wall.

For more information about the Pearl Street Gallery or other programs, please contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at culturalinfo@ucnj.org or call 908-558-2550. NJ Relay users can dial 711.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present the Sights & Sounds Art Exhibit, featuring paintings by students in the Sights and Sounds program of the Arc of Union County.

The exhibit is located on the 6th floor of the Union County Administration Building in Elizabeth and will be displayed through May 24, 2018. The gallery is open on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is free to the public.

“The Freeholder Board is proud to showcase the artwork of Sights & Sounds students,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “The Sights and Sound exhibit provides members of the public with an opportunity to appreciate the universal powers of human creativity, expression, and communication, and it sends a strong message of support and inclusion to the whole community.”

The Freeholders Gallery provides a supportive exhibition space that provides the public with enriching exposure to Union County artists from a wide range of backgrounds, training and experience, along with exhibits featuring Union County history and culture.

The Arc of Union County is New Jersey’s largest provider of educational, recreational and support services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The agency’s Sights & Sounds program is designed to empower and support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities with opportunities for personal expression, creative outlet and growth.

Chairman Granados’s “Moving Union County Forward” initiative for 2018 focuses on inclusion, diversity and empowerment. The initiative includes creation of the new Office for People with Special Needs, the first office of its kind in New Jersey. For more information on the Office for People with Special Needs contact Manuel Ramirez, Coordinator at mramirez@ucnj.org or 908-527-4781

The Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, part of the Department of Parks and Recreation, coordinates the exhibits displayed at the Freeholders Gallery.

For further information about this and other programs and services related to the arts and history in Union County, contact the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs at 908-558-2550 or email culturalinfo@ucnj.org. NJ Relay users may dial 711.

The Arc of Union County offers a wide range of programs for people of all ages. For more information, please visit arcunion.org or call 973-315-0000

Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholders Bruce H. Bergen, Chris Hudak and Linda Carter this evening joined Summit Mayor Nora Radest, Cranford Mayor Tom Hannen, Winfield Mayor Gary J. Genz, Roselle Mayor Christine Dansereau, Roselle Park Mayor Carl Hokanson, Union Mayor Suzette Cavadas, Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr, Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle and Rahway Mayor Raymond Giacobbe at the Moms Demand Action of Union County “Mayors Against Illegal Guns” event at the Hamilton Stage Theatre in Rahway.

Mayors from 15 Union County municipalities signed a Statement of Principals against illegal guns. The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Moms Demand Action of Union County sponsored the “Mayors Against Illegal Guns” event.

(Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Surrogate James LaCorte holds mobile office evening hours throughout the County’s municipalities.

Freeholder and Scotch Plains Township Manager Alexander Mirabella recently held a Facebook live session for residents to learn about his office. Visit the Surrogate’s website www.ucnj.org/surrogate to learn more.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation invite families with children of all ages and adults alike to climb aboard a variety of public safety vehicles at this year’s “Touch A Truck” event on Sunday afternoon, April 29. The event will run from 11:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M., weather permitting in the Lower Loop Parking Lot of the Watchung Reservation. There will also be a quiet hour, from 11:00 A.M. until 12:00 P.M. where children sensitive to noise will be able to enjoy the vehicles on display.

“Youngsters will have an opportunity to attend Touch A Truck at the Loop in the Watchung Reservation and get a close up look at these magnificent machines,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “They will also have the chance to climb aboard and experience the excitement of being behind the wheel.”

Hazmat will offer its big rig, and the Union County Department of Public Works will return with its mammoth white milling machine which is used to strip the top off of roads to prepare them for paving. The companion vehicle, the paver, will also be there, along with a bucket truck used for high tree trimming.

Attendees can also see multiple trucks with snow plows, payloaders, and hook/flatbed tow. And of course, fire department truck equipment from the Mountainside Fire Department is also planned for display.

This year’s Touch A Truck event will feature a special display from the Fire Museum, a 1975 Piece Custom pumper, retired from Mine Hill Fire Department.

Admission to the Touch A Truck event is $5 per person, with children 6 years old and under admitted free. The price of admission also includes admission to Wild Earth Fest.

The Loop Area is located just off Tracy Drive in Mountainside, in between Glenside Avenue and Summit Road. It features a very popular playground area for kids, and the concession stand will be open. Visitors may also visit the Watchung Stable and the Deserted Village of Feltville/Glenside Park. Also, Lake Surprise is just a short walk where residents can see the new dam.

For more information on Touch a Truck, or any event in the Union County Parks System, please visit our website at ucnj.org/parks.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation are pleased to announce an exciting season of spring programs offered at Trailside nature and Science Center.

“Now that Spring has arrived it is time to go outside and have some fun,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Trailside’s location in the scenic Watchung Reservation provides the perfect outdoor classroom for learning about the environment and the natural world around us.”

Register now for spring workshops on line at www.ucnj.org/trailside.

Parents with children up to age three are invited to join the Toddler Time series of workshops that meet weekly on Thursdays, Fridays and now Saturdays from 10:00-11:00 a.m. These classes incorporate sensory hikes, stories, crafts and activities to acquaint adults and children with the natural world. This spring out Toddler Time families will investigate the water cycle while traveling through hands-on water stations, celebrate Earth Day by marking a craft with recycled materials, visit Australia on an imaginary journey to see koalas, kangaroos and kookaburras and more.

For children, ages 3 or 4, with an adult, Trailside offers Two of Us, an interactive program that encourages nature discovery through hikes and other indoor/outdoor activities with a parent. This program is offered on Tuesdays from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. or Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Participants can learn about the secret life of bees, investigate the life of a caterpillar and use their imagination to dive into the ocean to visit clams, sharks, clownfish and whales.

Small Fry Days, a drop-off program for children ages 4-6, is offered on Tuesdays, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. This workshop series is designed to foster an awareness and appreciation of the natural world through hikes, explorations and nature related activities. Participants in this interesting and educational workshop series will learn how and why birds build nests, find out ways to keep our Earth clean and green and learn some f-ant-astic facts about ants.

Children in the first and second grades can take park in Afterschool Explorations, a drop-off program designed to acquaint children with nature explorations, hikes and outdoor activities. Children enrolled in this workshop series meet on Thursdays at 3:30-4:45 p.m. Learn how to use binoculars to identify some migratory and backyard birds, investigate the diversity of life found in a stream, make your own field notebook from upcycled materials and find out how and why animals communicate. Let your ears lead you on a spring walk in search of spring sounds.

Trailside’s spring workshops begin in April and continue through mid-June. Registrants can sign up for the series or choose only topics of interest. Pre-registration is required and the fee is $10.00 per class for Union County residents and $12.00 per class for out-of-county residents. Walk-ins can be accommodated if space permits.

For additional information about spring workshops, family programs, teacher training, special events and Trailside Talks for adults and high school students, please call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside nature & Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce a series of free Trailside Talks for adults and high school students. 

“Enjoy the beautiful Watchung Reservation this spring and hear stimulating lectures guaranteed to enhance your enjoyment of the landscape around you,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. 

On Thursday, April 19 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. join New Jersey Audubon Volunteer Associate Naturalist and Star Ledger weekly columnist Peter Bacinski for a lecture, “Our Fascination with Woodpeckers.”  Birders and non-birders alike are fascinated by the sight of woodpeckers.  Mr. Bacinski will introduce us to the 22 species of woodpeckers, with a special focus on the species found in New Jersey.  Enjoy the speaker’s personal stories as he shares little known facts about these fascinating birds with highlights on their behavior, identification and distribution. 

NASA Solar System Ambassador Paul Cirillo returns by popular demand with a lecture “Living on the International Space Station” on Saturday, May 12 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.  Share the adventure of how astronauts live and work in space.  Discover how the absence of gravity affects the human body.  This thrilling talk is accompanied by breathtaking pictures of the Earth from this orbiting laboratory. 

Nature author and Conserve Wildlife Foundation Director David Wheeler will present “Wild New Jersey: Nature Adventures in the Garden State” on Thursday May 17 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.   In contrast to the state’s reputation, New Jersey offers unmatched wildlife and an array of outdoor nature adventures all within a short drive of anywhere in the state.  Mr. Wheeler offers examples of unmatched wildlife from bald eagles to bobcats as well as exciting adventures including dogsledding, mountain climbing and wildlife boat tours.  Wild New Jersey will bring nature to life.  

Sharon Wander, President of the New Jersey Butterfly Club, will present “Butterflies and Their Host Plants” on Saturday June 9, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.   She will introduce the audience to many of the state’s 125 species of butterflies from the Giant Swallowtail to the tiny Eastern Tailed-Blue.  Find out which plants attract the butterflies and their caterpillars.  Ms. Wander will also highlight which plants can be grown in a home garden.                                        

For more information about Trailside Talks or other activities at Trailside, please call 908-789-3670 or visitwww.ucnj.org/trailside.    Trailside Nature and Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a facility of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation.             

Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholder Alexander Mirabella present a resolution to the Union County Corrections Officers who make up the #Heroes4Heroes group congratulating them on making the top ten highest charitable earnings list while raising money for the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics New Jersey. Special Olympics New Jersey provides a variety of services that range from health, wellness and leadership, to over 25,000 special needs athletes across the state for free. The Law Enforcement Torch Run, which is in its 35th year, raises money for special needs athletes to have the proper resources they need to compete. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)