Category: Public Info

$134,600 distributed to 15 municipalities across Union County

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that 15 municipalities have received a total of $134,600 in Recycling Enhancement Grants. The grant program, which aims at improving local recycling rates, is administered by Union County with funding from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

“Union County is proud to partner with our municipal governments to conserve resources and protect the environment, by providing the equipment and infrastructure that helps our residents send more waste into the recycling stream,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

To receive a Recycling Enhancement Grant, applicants must submit detailed plans that fit specific requirements for promoting recycling and protecting the environment.

The projects that received funding include infrastructure improvements to public recycling centers, and new recycling bins or storage containers for schools, parks, train stations and other public facilities.

The municipalities that received funding from the 2018 Recycling Enhancement Grant program are:

Berkeley Heights: $7,200

Clark – $10,000

Cranford – $7,500

Elizabeth – $10,000

Hillside – $7,600

Kenilworth – $9,000

Linden – $9,500

New Providence – $10,000

Rahway – $10,000

Roselle – $10,000

Scotch Plains – $7,800

Springfield – $6,000

Summit – $10,000

Union Township – $10,000

Westfield – $10,000

Total: $134,600

The grants support the goals of Chairman Granados’s Moving Union County Forward “Plant a Seed” initiative for engaging and the public in conservation and environmental education.

The Freeholder Board is also encouraging all residents to sign up for “Recycle Coach,” a free app that makes it easier to stay up to date about countywide recycling information and municipal recycling schedules. More information on the Recycle Coach app can be found at ucnj.org/recycling/recycle-coach-app.

For more details on all upcoming recycling events, and contact information for municipal recycling coordinators, visit ucnj.org/recycling.

Quick links to all Union County environmental programs can be found at https://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.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders reminds residents that trained counselors at NJ Hopeline will provide confidential, anonymous guidance for people who may be having suicidal thoughts, or who know someone at risk.

NJHopeline may be contacted 24/7 by phone at 855-654-6735 or by live chat at njhopeline.com.

In addition, Union County residents can contact the County’s Behavioral Health office during regular business hours at 908-527-4846 for information on local resources for counseling and treatment.

“The recent deaths of designer Kate Spade and chef Anthony Bourdain remind us that anyone, at any stage or station of life, can be overwhelmed by their circumstances,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “If you have the warning signs of suicide, or if you know someone who has these signs, please reach out to NJ Hopeline, or to anyone who can offer help.”

Common warning signs of suicide include talking about feeling trapped, hopeless or in unbearable pain; researching ways to kill oneself, such as obtaining a gun; and behavior changes involving sleep habits, drugs, alcohol or mood swings.

Behavioral Health is part of the Union County Department of Human Services, Division of Planning. More information is available at ucnj.org/departments/human-services.

NJ Hopeline is administered by Rutgers University Behavior Health Care, a member of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The  Lifeline may be contacted for help at 1-800-273-8255.

Photo credit: by Jeff Turner/flickr.

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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.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs hosted its first “Back in Time” history program last week at the Deserted Village of Feltville in the Watchung Reservation. The new program aims to provide an interactive learning opportunity for County residents including those with disabilities and special needs.

“The Freeholder Board is proud to support our parks, our history and our local historical organizations, and we strive to ensure that our recreational programs are accessible to all Union County residents,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “The ‘Back in Time’ event combined all of these elements into an enriching and educational experience.”

“Back in Time” featured representatives in historically accurate costumes from the Deserted Village and two other historic sites in Union County, the Miller-Cory House in Westfield and the Caldwell Parsonage in Union.

Each of the sites portrayed a different time period: Colonial life for the Miller-Cory House, the Revolutionary War for the Caldwell Parsonage, and the Early Industrial Period for the Deserted Village.

The event was attended by 22 clients from the Arc of Union County, a nonprofit organization located in Springfield with a mission to empower and support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

The participants handled and smelled herbs commonly used during in Colonial times, played popular games of the Revolutionary War era like hopscotch and nine-pin bowling, and explored artifacts and documents at the Deserted Village, the site of an Early Industrial paper mill and planned community owned by the 19^th century entrepreneur David Felt.

Back in Time was developed by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, which is funded in part by a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a Division of Cultural Affairs in the New Jersey Department of State.

For information on Back in Time and other activities of the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, call 908-558-2550, email culturalinfo@ucnj.org, or visit online at ucnj.org/parks-recreation.

The Back in Time program supports the goals of the Union County Office for People with Special Needs. The first office of its kind in New Jersey, the Office for People with Special Needs was established under Chairman Granados’s 2018 Moving Union County Forward initiatives for inclusiveness, diversity and individual empowerment.

To learn more about services and resources provided through the Office of Special Needs, contact Manuel Ramirez at mramirez@ucnj.org or call 908-527-4781.

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.

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Photo Credit (photo attached): An instructor in historical costume provides a glimpse into Union County’s past for participants in the “Back in Time” event hosted by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs. County of Union, NJ.

Union County, NJ – Union County is offering a free electronics recycling event on Saturday, June 30 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools campus, 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains.

Any Union County resident may bring unwanted televisions, computers, printers, and other electronic equipment to this e-cycling site. There is a limit of six items per vehicle. 

“Through this free event, Union County residents can help conserve resources and keep hazardous materials out of the environment. Everyone can make a real difference by using this opportunity to clear their homes, basements and garages of old computers and other unwanted electronic goods,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

“In addition to our countywide events, we also encourage residents to stay up to date with their local curbside pickup programs,” added Chairman Granados. “These local programs benefit when residents stay informed and follow the instructions for proper recycling.”

For more details on local curbside recycling visit the “Curbside Recycling” link at ucnj.org/recycling or contact a local recycling coordinator.

Union County residents can also sign up for Recycle Coach, a free app that makes it easy to keep up to date with countywide recycling information and municipal recycling schedules. For more information visit ucnj.org/recycling/recycle-coach-app.

Countywide recycling supports Chairman Granados’s Moving Union County Forward “Plant a Seed” initiative for environmental engagement, education and empowerment.

For more details on all upcoming recycling events including paper shredding and household hazardous waste visit ucnj.org/recycling. Quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities can be found at 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.

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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of drawings by Plainfield resident Mel Holston, located in the gallery space at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth.

A selection of Mr. Holston’s work titled, “Motherland: Life in Black and White,” will be on display at the gallery until August 10. Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.

“We are delighted to have Mel Holston’s drawings on display. He reflects and amplifies the diversity of artistic expression in our community, which makes Union County such an exciting and enriching place to live and visit,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “This exhibit showcases Mr. Holston’s skills as a master of pen-and-ink figurative drawing and design.”

Mr. Holston has lived in Plainfield since 1993, and is well known in local arts and culture circles. He is a former and long-time member of Plainfield’s Cultural and Heritage Commission.

A lifelong resident of New Jersey, Mr. Holston studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and Jersey City State College. He taught art in the Jersey City School System from 1978 to 1995 and was named Jersey City Teacher of the Year in 1990.

He works in a wide variety of media and is widely recognized for his finely detailed pen-and-ink drawings on African themes and traditions.

Mr. Holstein won First Place in the 2018 Union County Senior Citizen Art Exhibit in the category of Acrylic Painting by a Professional. He has also exhibited extensively and has won many distinguished awards throughout his long career as an artist.

His museum and gallery shows include: Logoa Duncan Gallery, New York and Paris; Jersey City Museum & Science Center; Drake House Museum, Plainfield; Newark Museum; Rutgers University, Newark; Chicago Museum of Science & Industry; Renaissance Gallery, South Orange; Brockman Gallery, Los Angeles; the Association of Caribbean-American Artists, Brooklyn; and in Havana, Cuba.

The Pearl Street Gallery accommodates works that may be hung on a wall. Union County artists interested in exhibiting in the gallery are welcome to apply.

For more information about the Pearl Street Gallery and other programs involving the arts, culture and historic preservation in Union County, call the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 908-558-2550 (NJ Relay users can dial 711), email culturalinfo@ucnj.org or visit online at ucnj.org/parks-recreation.

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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.

Connect with Union County on social media.

I have received several emails of appreciation from our residents. I have also received a few negative emails in reference to our strong support for LGBTQ residents and creating equality for all across our county.

So I want to be clear with those who feel negatively about our support for LGBTQ related activities sponsored by our County Freeholder Board in recognition of Pride Month, we are steadfast in our commitment to advocating for equality and advancing the equal rights movement. I will stand against anyone who feels that we should not be treating each other equally as a county of inclusiveness for all. We are all unique and should be highlighting our differences as positives not negatives, we only can move forward if we learn to build bridges in our communities not tear them down. Seeing negative e-mails like these only makes me stand stronger by my decision and clearly validates the need for the Office of LGBTQ Services (the first County in the State to have this office) and have events to honor and respect the LGBTQ community.​

So with that said, I stand firm in supporting LGBTQ residents and allies – that includes lending my voice and active support in efforts to combat discrimination, hate and fear.

Limited number of free tickets available for Union County LGBTQ youth age 16-19.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Office of LGBTQ Services are proud to host the first ever Union County LIGHT UP THE NIGHT – TEEN PRIDE celebration for LGBTQ and ally high school youth, ages 16-19. With support from WellCare Health Plans and the Union County Performing Arts Center, teens throughout Union County are invited to enjoy a safe and welcoming night out on Friday, June 15 at Hamilton Stage, located at 360 Hamilton Street, Rahway.

The doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the festivities begin at 8:00 p.m. Dance the night away until 11:00 p.m. for an inclusive evening of fun, light refreshments, DJ, drag queen emcee, and the crowning of the Rainbow Court.

“We are offering the Light Up The Night celebration to provide LGBTQ youth in our community, and their friends, with an opportunity to have fun being themselves in a safe and inclusive venue. I am proud to support Union County’s first teen pride event, and I thank my colleagues on the Freeholder Board for joining with me,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

“Light Up The Night invites you to enjoy being yourself and make lifelong memories just as you are. Wear whatever makes you comfortable, glam it up, or wear neon or white to light up the night. Come on your own, with a date, or with a group of friends,” said Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, who is the Freeholder liaison to the Union County Office of LGBTQ Services.

The first 70 tickets are free for Union County youth ages 16-19 while supplies last. These donated tickets may be ordered from the Performing Arts Center box office by phone at 732-499-8226, or by visiting the box office in person. The Box Office is located at the Performing Arts Center Main Stage, 1601 Irving Street in Rahway.

Online sales are not available for the donated tickets.

Those purchasing tickets at the regular price of $25.00 each may order online at ucpac.org (the ticket link is located near the top right area of the window).

Safety is the priority. Security will uphold a strict no tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol. Bags will be checked upon arrival. High School Student ID, with parental consent and photo release is required to be admitted with each ticket.

The Union County Office of LGBTQ Services is organizing this year’s Union County PRIDE events. Established as part of Chairman Granados’ 2018 Moving Union County Forward initiatives, the Office of LGBTQ Services, under the Division of Outreach and Advocacy in the Department of Human Services, is the first County government office of its kind in the State of New Jersey. It provides a platform for leadership and collaboration to support equality, serving as a catalyst for advocacy, awareness and action.

For more information about the Office of LGBTQ Services, contact Danni Newbury, coordinator, at 908-527-4742 or dnewbury@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.

Connect with Union County on social media.