County of Union, New JerseyDefault category for all normal press releases
Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan and Undersheriffs Michael Frank and Amilcar Colon congratulate the Sheriff’s officers who participated in No Shave November and raised $6,200 for The New Jersey Veterans Network and The Prostate Cancer Foundation. No Shave November challenges participants to forgo shaving for the month in order to raise money for charity. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites residents to celebrate the season at a variety of festive events right here in Union County this month, with music ranging from light-hearted holiday favorites to the exalting sounds of Handel’s Messiah.
“Recognizing the importance of culture and the arts to our economy and quality of life, the Freeholder Board proudly supports the performing arts community in Union County,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board.
Sponsored in part by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the following holiday programs received funding from the UC Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, Department of Parks and Recreation through the Local Arts Grant Program or the Union County HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant Program:
CONCERT
The Celebration Singers present “Season of Lights”
Friday, December 1 and Saturday, December 2 at 8 PM
Don’t miss the joy of attending the annual holiday concert by Celebration Singers.
$20 ($15 for children & seniors)
St. Michael’s Church
40 Alden St., Cranford
www.celebration-singers.org
THEATRE
A Very Special (Holiday) Special
Saturday, December 2 at 8 PM
This all-original, old-fashioned variety show is in the style of traditional TV holiday specials. This “Very Special Special” includes a healthy serving of improv, spoofs of holiday songs, comic sketches and fun.
Tickets: $15–$20
Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre (Ensemble Theatre with Humor and Heart)
Oakes Center
120 Morris Ave., Summit
908-514-9654 (for tickets: 800-838-3006)
www.dreamcatcherrep.org
CONCERT
Myth & Mystery – A Holiday Concert
Saturday, December 9 at 7 PM
The Concord Singers will present a program including choral works by Benjamin Britten, Lana Walter, Edward Elgar, Samuel Barber, Gabriel Faure and more — as well as some traditional carols.
$20 ($10 for children 12 & under)
Calvary Episcopal Church
31 Woodland Ave., Summit
https://concordsingers.org/holiday-2017-myths-and-mystery/
CONCERT
Handel’s Messiah presented by Summit Chorale
Saturday, December 9 at 7:30 PM
The complete classic work will be presented with chamber orchestra and soloists.
$20 in advance available online ($25 at the door / $10 for students)
St. John’s Lutheran Church
587 Springfield Ave., Summit
www.summitchorale.org
FREE HOLIDAY CONCERT
Crescent Concerts – Yuletide by Candlelight
Saturday, December 16 at 5 PM
The glow of candles will brighten Crescent Avenue sanctuary as the Crescent Singers present their 46th annual holiday concert as a gift to the community.
FREE
Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church
Watchung Ave. at East Seventh St., Plainfield
908-756-2468
www.crescentconcerts.org
CONCERT
“Christmas Time in the City” PRISM Concert Extravaganza
Saturday, December 16 at 7:30 PM
This concert features the Continuo Arts Foundation’s choral ensembles and other local performance groups.
$20 adults ($10 students/seniors)
Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School Auditorium
272 Morris Ave., Summit
908-264-5324
www.continuoarts.com
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, through the Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board and its Arts Grant Committee, and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts have made funds available for support of the arts through a State/County Block Grant Partnership for non-profit arts and non-arts organizations located in, and serving the residents of Union County, that demonstrate a high degree of professionalism in producing arts activities. The program is administered by the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, Department of Parks and Recreation.
All grant programs, including the Union County Local Arts Grant Program and the HEART Grant Program are competitive.
Artists, educators, civic and historical non-profit organizations that want information about next year’s gran opportunities can contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202. Telephone: (908) 558-2550. NJ Relay users dial 711, or send E-mail: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.
A blue spruce from the home of Miss Carol Guevarez in Linden will be donated on December 4th and featured in the Union County Courthouse Rotunda for the holiday season.
“Everyone looks forward to seeing the decorated tree in the rotunda each holiday season,” said Freeholder Christopher Hudak, a resident of Linden. “On behalf of the Board of Freeholders, I would like to thank Miss Guevarez for her donation.”
The tree stands at 40 feet tall and has a sentimental meaning for Guevarez, a paramedic for Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Rahway. She said her family planted the tree 27 years ago in honor of her father.
“We planted the tree in honor of my father when he passed away,” said Guevarez. “It is a special tree and it turned out to be beautiful.”
On Monday morning, December 4th, a crew from the Union County Shade Tree Bureau will travel to Linden to cut the tree and load it onto a flatbed truck to be transported to the Union County Courthouse. A crane will lift the tree onto the courthouse steps and then it will be moved into the building.
Once inside the rotunda, the tree will be placed in a sturdy barrel stand weighed down with concrete. Workers will spend the next few days decorating the tree with many ornaments and lights.
The public is invited to view the tree, which will be on display until about the second week of January.
On Friday December 22nd, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will host a Christmas sing-along around the tree with a visit from Santa Claus. All are invited to participate in this event, details of which will be finalized over the next week.
A veteran investigator who has served nearly a decade in the Union County Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit today was the proud recipient of an Outstanding Law Enforcement Service Award from the New Jersey Sex Crimes Officers Association ahead of its 20th annual Sex Crimes Information Sharing Conference in Galloway Township, Atlantic County, acting Union County Prosecutor Thomas K. Isenhour announced Wednesday.
Lt. Patricia “Trish” Gusmano accepted the award from Prosecutor’s Office acting Chief of Detectives Vincent G. Gagliardi and Special Victims Unit Supervisor/Assistant Prosecutor Caroline Lawlor, in recognition of her years of excellence, dedication, and tireless efforts in investigations into sex crimes and human trafficking.
“I have had the opportunity to observe Lt. Gusmano’s work in many cases, and she is one of the most persistent and hardest-working investigators we have,” Lawlor said. “Many members of the Special Victims Unit have indicated that it was a pleasure to work alongside her, and they often seek her out for her vast knowledge and input on investigations. Her experience and talents are invaluable to newer assistant prosecutors and detectives.”
“Lt. Gusmano, since the start of her career with our Office, has been one of the most dedicated investigators in the State of New Jersey,” Chief Gagliardi added. “I am proud to call her a colleague, and today she received an honor that was truly deserved.”
As a sergeant in the Special Victims Unit, which annually handles approximately 500 to 600 referrals on incidents of alleged sexual and physical abuse of children, Gusmano was routinely assigned to handle an expansive and high-profile caseload.
One of her most notable recent investigations, launched in April 2016 and featured prominently in Prosecutor Isenhour’s written nomination for the Award, resulted in multiple first- and second-degree human trafficking charges filed against three defendants accused of using online ads to promote paid sex with underage victims in locations across Union and neighboring Essex counties. The investigation entailed the review of more than a thousand registration records from local motels, the filing of numerous subpoenas and preservation requests served for multiple social media sites, careful review of dozens of advertisements for correlation to known phone numbers and email addresses, and conducting interviews in an attempt to identify more victims. Lt. Gusmano spearheaded the investigation while still handling myriad other tasks, such as supervising other cases, fulfilling her on-call responsibilities, testifying in grand jury, and preparing a trial.
Earlier this year, Gusmano was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Kenilworth Councilman Gerry Laudati met with Library Director Michael Maziekien at the Kenilworth Public Library 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 nearly $19,000 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)
Union County, NJ – Last week a hardworking group of student volunteers from Union County College in Elizabeth pitched in to help maintain a thriving wildflower meadow along the shores of the lake at Warinanco Park in Roselle. As part of Union County’s Adopt-a-Park program, the enthusiastic group spent the day removing dried weeds, debris and old fencing. The wildflower meadow provides sustenance and shelter for birds, butterflies and other valuable pollinators. It features a colorful array of seasonal plantings throughout spring, summer and fall. Any individual or group is welcome to join Adopt-a-Park. For more information, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-789-3683 or visit online at ucnj.org/parks. For more Union County volunteer opportunities and environmental programs visit The Green Connection.
# #
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 – Just in time for the holiday shopping and travel season, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders reminds residents and visitors that the new Union County Transit Map is available free online, and printed copies are free on request. The map displays all bus and rail routes and connections in the Union County area.
The map was developed as part of the 2016 Union County Transportation Master Plan in association with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, which provided funds for printing the map.
“The new Union County Transit Map enables commuters and travelers to see all of our regional bus and rail routes at a glance,” said Freeholder Angel G. Estrada, who is the First Vice Chairman of the NJTPA. “We hope that it provides County residents and visitors with a convenient way to explore all of their options for travel during this busy season.”
The map features train and bus routes along with hospitals, schools and airports in the area, including Elizabeth-Newark connections.
The Union County Transit Map is available as a free download at ucnj.org/transit.
To receive a free copy by mail, send a request to the Union County Public Office of Public Information at info@ucnj.org.
Estrada also encouraged residents and visitors to visit Union County’s ConneXions website online at ucnj.org/connect, for quick links to transportation information including bus, rail, car, air, and bike routes.
Another transportation option is the Union County Paratransit System. Paratransit provides low cost rides to seniors, persons with disabilities and other eligible Union County residents. More information is available online at ucnj.org/departments/human-services.
# #
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 – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the New Jersey Department of Corrections has awarded a grant of $200,000 to Union County. The funds will go to Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) programs at the Union County Correctional Facility, for inmates with substance abuse disorders.
New Jersey committed a total of $1.7 million in MAT funding to county correctional facilities across the state. Union County was one of ten grant recipients.
“Our goal is to ensure that incarcerated individuals can make a fresh start and contribute to a stronger Union County on their release, and MAT programs are an essential part of that effort,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “With this additional state funding, we can provide the medical support that is proven to help former inmates get back on their feet and maintain sobriety.”
Grant recipients may only use the funds to purchase MAT medications approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The funding may apply to medications provided upon release as well as treatment during incarceration.
Introducing the MAT program during an inmate’s incarceration increases the likelihood of recovery sustainability and abstinence when they are released.
“A 2015 study shows that for opioid abusers, involvement in an MAT program during incarceration can reduce the risk of an early relapse,” said Freeholder Christopher Hudak, who is the Freeholder Board liaison to the Union County Mental Health Advisory Board. “These programs benefit the entire community by interrupting the cycle of drug abuse, crime and incarceration.”
The new MAT funding is one of Union County’s initiatives to address the opiate crisis. In 2017 Chairman Bergen also introduced an initiative to fund an additional 25 beds for in-patient treatment, and the Freeholder Board joined with the Union County Sheriff and Prosecutor to launch CLEAR, the Community Law Enforcement Addiction Recovery program. CLEAR aims to encourage eligible addicts to seek help through law enforcement agencies, by providing a “safe space” for connecting with recovery services.
Other actions in Union County include an expansion of Project Medicine Drop from two locations in in 2013 to 12 in 2017, a Drug Court program that provides nonviolent offenders with access to recovery services, and the Union County Opioid Response Initiative, which provides for the recipients of police-administered naloxone to connect with addiction recovery specialists at local hospitals.
Union County has also expanded its use of an in-house treatment program for County inmates who are housed at Delaney Hall in Newark. The program, which is funded by the New Jersey Department of Corrections, covers both alcohol and drug abuse services including counseling and life skills.
The Freeholder Board is also co-sponsoring “Knock Out Opioid Abuse,” a free town hall event at Kean University’s STEM Building auditorium, 1075 Morris Avenue in Union Township, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 5 (doors open at 5:00 p.m.).
The event features Freeholder Hudak, Dr. Andrew Kaufman of Atlantic Health System, Prevention Links Executive Director Pam Capaci and Ammon Foundation Executive Director Mariel Hufnagel.
More information about the Knock Out Opioid Abuse campaign and town hall series is available at knockoutopioidabuse.drugfreenj.org.
# #
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.
The County of Union’s Human Services Department has issued a Countywide Code Blue alert from today until Sunday evening in an effort to get the homeless population into shelter, as overnight temperatures are expected to plunge either below or around freezing over the next few days.
The alert goes out from the county’s Department of Human Services, which notifies emergency shelters, social service workers, community organizations, and the County Police. The County Police get the word out to law enforcement personnel in all 21 municipalities. The early warning gives communities time to identify and locate people potentially in need of help. Shelters get time to arrange for extra beds using cots provided by the County. County and municipal police go on the lookout for persons needing shelter, and assist them with transportation.
If residents see a homeless person sleeping in these conditions at night, they are urged to contact their local police department to get them to shelter.
Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen presents Union County College Head Coach Alex J. Louis with a resolution congratulating him upon his 300th win with the college’s mens soccer. The milestone came when the men’s soccer team defeated Cumberland County College 7-1 at Union County’s College’s home field site at Snyder Avenue Turf Field in Berkeley Heights. The coach has been at the helm of the men’s soccer program at Union County College for the past 21 seasons. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)