Category: Public Info

Union County, NJ – Japanese barberry is a common shrub that could be playing a role in the spread of Lyme disease, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. By planting native shrubs instead of Japanese barberry, property owners can help reduce the risk — and create a more healthful habitat for butterflies and other pollinators, too.

“Union County residents can take action to check the spread of Lyme disease by choosing ornamental plants that help create an environment for beneficial species,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “For example, Virginia sweetspire attracts butterflies and is recommended for its vivid fall colors.”

Japanese barberry is a popular ornamental shrub. It is also an invasive species that has gained a foothold in public parks.

According to the Department of Agriculture, the plant creates a humid micro climate that attracts deer ticks and white-footed deer mice, both of which are carriers of Lyme disease.

Bergen advised County residents who are planning landscape or garden projects to view the free Plant This, Not That guide. Plant This, Not That was created by a local Girl Scout with assistance from the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation, to show how to use colorful native plants instead of invasive species.

“Residents can also volunteer with our Union County Adopt-a-Park program, which will be focusing on the Japanese barberry in the coming months,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, who chairs the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

Union County Adopt-a-Park is a partner in the New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team, a statewide effort that includes management of Japanese barberry.

For people looking to remove the Japanese barberry shrub from their property, the National Park Service suggests using thick gloves to pull up young plants by hand. Tools and lawnmowers can be used to remove older plants. Systemic herbicides are also effective.

To prevent tick bites and Lyme disease, make sure to wear long sleeves, long pants, and thick socks when spending time outdoors.

Any individual or group can volunteer with Union County  Adopt-a-Park. For details n contact the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-789-3683 or visit vucnj.org/parks-recreation.

Photo credit: via Columbia University.

#  #

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.

Union County, NJ – To help raise awareness of oral cancer, the Union County Office of Health Management through the Chronic Disease Coalition of Middlesex and Union Counties has partnered with Krause Dental Care in Cranford to provide free oral cancer screenings.

Doctor Kurt Krause, D.M.D. will be offering free oral cancer screenings on Friday, November 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at his dental office, located at 118 North Avenue West, Suite 101 in Cranford.

“I’d like to thank the partners who are involved in this screening, for their efforts to raise awareness of oral cancer and the risks involved,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “Early detection is a key factor to saving lives, and this free service encourages people to get screened as soon as possible.”

Oral cancer will be diagnosed in an estimated 50,000 Americans this year and can be fatal if gone undetected.

It can be detected early in its development through a simple, painless and quick screening. As with most cancers, early detection dramatically increases the survival rate. Oral cancer screenings are an effective means of finding cancer at its early, highly curable stages.

Dr. Krause is committed to help raise awareness of the importance of early detection of this devastating disease, by encouraging yearly oral cancer screenings as well as educating his patients on the risk factors and early signs and symptoms of oral cancer. 

For more information about oral cancer, visit the Oral Cancer Foundation online at oralcancerfoundation.org.

To make an appointment for a complimentary screening, contact the office of Dr. Krause at 908-272-3001.

For more information about oral cancer screening call the Union County Office of Health Management at 908-518-5620.

#  #

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.

Union County Freeholder Angel G. Estrada and Freeholder Christopher Hudak, with his children Catie and Jack, attended the annual Union County Pumpkin Sail at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside. They were joined by Amberly Russomano of the Shoprite of Clark, a generous sponsor of the event. Anthony Santos of the Union County Parks Department launched the jack-o-lanterns onto the lake. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

On Saturday November 18 –  11:00 PM through Sunday November 19 –  9:00 AM the New Jersey Bound lanes of the Goethals Bridge will be closed to accommodate shifting the New Jersey bound travel lanes in New York onto a recently-completed portion of the approach roadway to the new Goethals Bridge. The New York bound lanes will not be impacted.  Minimal traffic impacts are expected; the Bayonne Bridge will remain open.

Union County, NJ – If you are looking for a chance to pitch in for the environment, come to a special volunteer event with the Union County Adopt-a-Park program and members of the North Plainfield Shade Tree Advisory Board on Saturday, November 11, 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and help clean up a section of Green Brook Park.

Green Brook is part of the Union County Parks system. It is located in Plainfield and extends into North Plainfield.

Members of the public can meet up with the cleanup team at 9:30 a.m. at the intersection of Parkview Avenue and Clinton Avenue in North Plainfield, next to the Green Brook Park sign.

This area is tended to regularly by members of the Shade Tree Advisory Board, and extra hands are needed on November 11 to help pick up litter and debris, and clear away invasive species so that native plants have room to grow next spring.

Gloves, bags and tools will be provided and participants should bring an empty bucket if they have one. The cleanup event will be over by noon.

Volunteers should dress to get muddy and/or dirty!

Any individual or group can join Adopt-A-Park and help preserve Union County’s 36 public parks. For more information visit Adopt-A-Park online at ucnj.org/parks or call 908-789-3683.

#  #

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.

Union County, NJ – A favorite Union County seasonal tradition returns this year with the annual Holiday Sound and Light Show hosted by The Model Railroad Club. The centerpiece of the festive extravaganza is the club’s sprawling, meticulously detailed HO scale model train layout at the A. Paul Mallery Model Railroad Center, conveniently located in a mixed-use area of Union County’s Lenape Park off Route 22 East in Union Township.

“The Holiday Sound and Light Show is a wonderful holiday tradition for the whole family, and The Railroad Center is a unique community resource open for all to enjoy,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “I still remember fondly taking my now-grown son to the show when he was younger and fascinated by model trains.”

This year, the Holiday Sound and Light show begins on Friday, November 24 from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Shows will continue from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Fridays, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays and 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sundays until December 10.

“The show is designed to capture the imagination with a ‘you are there’ feel, and the layout itself is a decades-long labor of love at the heart of our mission,” said Railroad Club President Tim McCollum.

The Model Railroad Club is dedicated to preserving and sharing the art of model railroads while providing the public with a unique window on the history the New Jersey-Pennsylvania rail corridor.

The Railroad Center is open to the public every Saturday during the year, and each November the layout is transformed into a living theatre complete with sound and lighting effects and professional narration.

The Sound and Light Show repeats continuously on each scheduled day from November 24 to December 10. Attendees can stay as long as they like to enjoy more than one show, view an elaborate N-scale layout and other displays, grab a bite to eat at the snack bar, and stock up on train-themed holiday gifts at the gift shoppe.

For the convenience of attendees with babies and small children, a play and rest area is also located on site.

Discounted advance tickets to the Sound and Light Show may be purchased online through the Railroad Club website, themodelrailroadclub.org/advance-show-tickets. Advance tickets are $7.00 for adults age 16 and up, $5.00 for teens age 13-15, and $4.00 for children age 3-12. Children under age 3 are free.

Attendees can also purchase tickets at the Railroad Center. Tickets purchased at the Railroad Center for a future date are at the discounted rate. Tickets purchased on the day of attendance are at the regular rate of $1.00 over the discounted rate.

The Railroad Center ticket window is open on during regular Saturday public hours between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on November 4, 11, and 18. It is also open during the scheduled hours of the Sound and Light Show beginning at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, November 24 and ending on December 10.

The Model Railroad Club, Inc. is a non-profit organization that built and runs the Railroad Center through an arrangement with the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation. Work on the HO display began 40 years ago with the construction of the Railroad Center in Lenape Park, and it has been enhanced and expanded since then. Work on a major expansion is under way, practically doubling the size of the original exhibit.

The Model Railroad Club has been a part of Union County since its founding in 1949 by Master Model Railroader Paul Mallery. Today, it is one of the largest model railroad clubs in the region.

New members are always welcome to join the Model Railroad Club. Current members are on site during visiting hours and are happy to provide information about Club activities. Prospective members can also request information on joining by email, at info@tmrci.org.

All proceeds from the Holiday Sound and Light Show go towards funding the Railroad Club’s activities.

Directions: The A. Paul Mallery Center is conveniently situated in a mixed-use area of Union County’s Lenape Park, off Route 22 East in Union Township, behind the Home Depot at 930 South Springfield Road. Enter the Home Depot parking lot from Route 22 East or from South Springfield Road, and go to the far (west) end where the Home Depot garden center is located. Follow a small sign to find the service road behind the garden center. The Mallery Center is at the end of the road.

#  #

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.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski and Angel G. Estrada met with Roselle Public Library Director Jeanne Marie Ryan and Library Assistant Natalie Peitsinovski in the library’s children area where they spoke about the technology expansion and other improvements at the library funded with Union County Library Grants. Over the past three years, the County Freeholder Board has awarded more than $18,000 in grants from golf fees administered through the Open Space Trust Fund to the library for various purchases. The library purchased 2 new computers with part of the 2017 Union County Library Grant. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen met with Springfield Public Library Director Dale Spindel, Head of Youth Services Deborah Sandford and Teen & Emerging Technologies Librarian Alice Chunn in the library’s children area where they spoke about the technology expansion and other improvements at the library funded with Union County Library Grants. Over the past three years, the County Freeholder Board has awarded more than $18,000 in grants from golf fees administered through the Open Space Trust Fund to the library for various purchases. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Halloween!

Here are some safety tips:

• Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors. Since masks can sometimes obstruct a child’s vision, try non-toxic face paint and makeup whenever possible.
• Have kids use glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
• Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, remind them to stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.
• Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.
• When selecting a costume make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.

Union County, NJ – Nominations are being accepted now until December 1 for the 26^th annual Women of Excellence awards. The awards program honors women from all walks of life who have made an exceptional impact on Union County residents.

“By celebrating the achievements of individual women, the Women of Excellence program also highlights organizations that have an enriching impact on the Union County community,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “The nomination process is a wonderful way for businesses and non-profits to honor an outstanding owner, manager, employee or volunteer.”

In addition to businesses and non-profits, government agencies and individual residents can also submit nominations for a Women of Excellence award.

Women can be nominated for their achievements in the fields of Arts and Humanities, Business and Entrepreneurial, Community Service, Education, Government, Law, Law Enforcement, Medicine and Health Care, and Women’s Advocacy.

Nominations are open to women 21 years or older who live, volunteer, or work in Union County.

Awardees are guests of honor at the annual Women of Excellence gala awards dinner each spring. Awardees receive an engraved Women of Excellence plaque and a Freeholder Resolution recognizing their impact on the Union County community.

The Women in Excellence awards are sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Commission of the Status of Women and the Union County Office on Women.

For more information about submitting a Women of Excellence nomination, or to download a nomination form, visit ucnj.org/women-of-excellence-award. Questions about the nomination process can be emailed to Jane O’Hara at johara1217@gmail.com.

All nominations must be mailed to Jane O’Hara at 708 Newark Avenue, Westfield, NJ 07090 and must be received no later than December 1, 2017.

#  #

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.