Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi advises travelers that the U.S. Department of State has increased its processing time for passports. Persons seeking routine passport services should now anticipate a wait of approximately six to eight weeks.
“This extended processing time makes it all the more important for Union County residents to ensure that their passports are in order well in advance of their travel dates,” said Ms. Rajoppi.
The County Clerk’s office is authorized to receive passport documents and transmit them to the State Department for processing.
“Even if a trip is not coming up, getting a passport and keeping it current is always a good idea,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “Planning ahead is especially important for the spring and summer travel seasons when the State Department receives a high volume of documents to process.”
Ms. Rajoppi also advised County residents to check their country of entry to ensure that their passport expiration date is consistent with the requirements.
“Some countries will not allow entry if a passport is going to expire in less than six months, regardless of how long the traveler plans to stay,” said Ms. Rajoppi.
Passport services are available at the County Clerk’s Main Office in the County Courthouse at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth, and in the Colleen Frasier Building at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield.
For more details about passport processing times, visit the State Department online at travel.state.gov.
More information about all County Clerk services is available on line at ucnj.org/county-clerk or call 908-527-4787.
SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ – The County of Union will sponsor a recycling event for electronic equipment on Saturday, April 29, so Union County residents can get rid of unwanted computers, televisions and other electronic equipment in an environmentally proper manner.
The special E-cycling event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the campus of Union County Vo-Tech Schools located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. All residents of Union County are eligible to participate at no cost. There is a limit of six electronic items per car.
“Old televisions, computer monitors, and other electronic devices are the source of a considerable amount of dangerous material, including lead, mercury, and cadmium – and it is unlawful to dispose of them with the regular garbage,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “Up to 95 percent of most electronic appliances can be recycled and this is a responsible way to keep hazardous heavy metals out of our environment.”
Electronic equipment that will be accepted on April 29th includes televisions, computers, monitors, hard drives, modems, keyboards, printers, fax machines, DVD/VCR players, telephones, tablets and e-readers.
All that residents need to do is drive to the site with their unwanted electronic equipment. Workers at the site will unload the vehicles. The electronics collection will be held rain or shine, for Union County residents only and not for businesses. Proof of Union County residency is required and pre-registration is not required.
Additional event information as well as future event dates and locations are available at the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning website: ucnj.org/recycle. Refrigerators, washers and dryers, microwaves, and air conditioners will not be accepted, but they are accepted at Union County’s Scrap Metal Recycling Program.
In addition to the April 29th recycling event, the County of Union also sponsors E-cycling opportunities for residents at 15 participating municipal collection locations. Visit the website ucnj.org/recycle or call your municipal recycling coordinator for more details.
For more information about recycling events, please call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908- 654-9889.
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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.
Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce the 2017 schedule of its free scrap metal recycling events. A wide variety of metal goods, from household appliances to gutters and sheds, are included in the program.
“This countywide service is a win-win for our municipalities and the environment,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “By keeping metal out of the waste stream our local governments save on waste disposal costs, and we recover valuable resources.”
The scrap metal recycling program is available for use by households, commercial establishments, nonprofit agencies and other organizations.
Starting on Thursday, April 6, and running through November, the program will be available on the first Thursday and the third Saturday of each month (excluding holidays) from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
This month the program will be on Saturday, April 22 due to the Easter holiday.
Scrap metal from any municipality may be brought to either of the following drop-off centers:
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 and 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, visit the Bureau of Recycling and Planning online at ucnj.org/recycle or call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889.
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Photo (cropped): US Department of Agriculture.
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.
Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the first paper shredding event of 2017 is scheduled for Saturday, April 1 in Scotch Plains. The event is free and open to all Union County residents.
“Union County’s mobile paper shredding event helps residents fight identity theft by providing a convenient and secure way to dispose of confidential documents,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen. “As part of our County recycling program, it also complements our green initiatives in support of environmental conservation.”
The April 1st shredding event will take place at the Union County Vocational Technical Schools campus at 1776 Raritan Road, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., rain or shine. It will conclude before 1:00 p.m. if the shredding trucks reach capacity.
Two other free paper shredding events are also coming up in April. Shredding will be offered at Warinanco Park on Friday, April 7 in the parking lot across from the Warinanco Ice Skating Center, and in Cedar Brook Park on Friday, April 28. Both events run from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., rain or shine.
Paper shredding trucks will visit other communities throughout Union County through spring, summer and fall.
For a full schedule of 2017 free paper shredding events, including directions, visit the Union County website at ucnj.org/recycling.
All Union County residents are welcome to use the mobile paper shredding service. There is a limit of four 10-pound bags or boxes per person (paper bags are preferred).
Documents should not be bound, and plastic binders and paper clips should be removed. Paper that is wet or damp will not be accepted.
The shredding events are intended for personal documents only. Residents should continue to recycle non-confidential papers and magazines with their municipal recycling program.
Documents are put into 96-gallon containers provided by the shredding company. The items are then dumped onto a conveyor belt and shredded on site. Participants are welcome to view the shredding process via a closed-circuit television. The shredded documents are then recycled, shipped to paper mills and used as pulp.
The mobile shredding program is funded through New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Recycling Enhancement Act Grant Funds.
For more information about all Union County recycling events and programs call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889 or visit online at ucnj.org/recycling.
For quick links to many other Union County environmental programs visit The Green Connection online at 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.
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders present a Night Out with the New Jersey Devils for People with Disabilities.
Join us for a fun night out watching the NJ Devils vs. the New York Islanders on Saturday, April 8. Tickets are $30 and game starts at 6 pm at the Prudential Center, Newark. Tickets are limited, register today! Register and pay online at: www.ucnj.org/parks-reg/
Winter Browns at the Ash Brook Reservation will soon give way to the greening of Spring. As a way of introducing the public to parks they may know little about, Union County Parks & Recreation staff and volunteers will be leading walks, strolls and rolls in four county parks, and include everything from birding to a swamp trek.
Get ready, get set, and mark your calendar so you don’t miss the month-long series of Walks, Strolls & Rolls in Union County Parks in April.
As a way of introducing the public to parks they may know little about, Union County Parks & Recreation staff and volunteers will be leading walks, strolls and rolls in four parks, and include everything from birding to a swamp trek.
“The Union County Park system includes 36 parks, with well over 6,000 acres, scattered across the county. But there is a tendency for people to only know the parks near them,” said Bruce Bergen, Chairman of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
“We would like folks to experience some parks that they may know little about and learn more of what our wonderful Parks system has to offer, from miles of paved paths that can accommodate strollers and wheelchairs, to Nature’s unveiling of spring in the Ash Brook Reservation, where the plants are just beginning to poke their shoots through the ground,” Bergen said.
The April hikes, which will last about an hour, will be on different days and times, depending upon the park. No registration is required and there are no age restrictions. Participants should bring a bottle of water and dress appropriately.
So mark your calendars, and please note that walks are cancelled in inclement weather. For more information and detailed directions, go to ucnj.org/Aprilwalks or drop a note to parksinfo@ucnj.org.
Walks, Strolls & Rolls will be held at:
— Lenape Park, The Boulevard, Kenilworth. If you’ve ever considered taking up birding, or would just like to spend a morning seeing our winged friends, this is the perfect time of year because many species stop off in Lenape on their Spring migration north. Ed Zboyan, a member of the Friends of Lenape, will lead the walks, which will start from the parking lot at the old skeet range. Walks are scheduled for 9 a.m. and will be held on Saturdays at the beginning of the month, and Tuesdays later in the month, for folks who find their weekends already overloaded. The walks will be April 1,8,15,18,25.
— Watchung Reservation, Trailside Nature & Science Center, 452 New Providence Rd., Mountainside. Ever wonder what mysteries await in the Res? Join Trailside Naturalist Roslyn Dvorin on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. to find out. These walks are scheduled for April 1,8,15,22. Why no April 29? Because you are cordially invited to come the following day, April 30, for Wild Earth Fest and Touch A Truck, so it will be all hands on deck to get ready.
— Echo Lake Park, between Mountain & Springfield Avenues, Mountainside. While these Wednesday morning walks at 10 a.m. are open to all, these Stroll & Rolls are open to friends and family who use strollers, walkers, wheelchairs, or any other wheeled conveyance. The path through Echo Lake is paved and part of the County’s greenway system, so participants will get a chance to see some of the beautiful areas in the parks system that are so easily accessible. The meet-up for these walks will be at the gazebo and will be led by parks staffer Nicole DeAugustine, who works with the disabled, on April 5,12,19, & 26.
–Ash Brook Reservation, Raritan Road, Scotch Plains. Boots are advised because of the extremely wet ground in some areas of Ash Brook. The hikes will be on Thursdays, at 10 a.m. and are scheduled for April 6, 13, 20, & 27. Trail Steward Marc Grobman will lead the way through the undiscovered country and explain the amazing environment that also played a role in the 1777 Battle of the Short Hills.
Ash Brook Reservation may well be one of the county’s least-known and most natural parks. In just over a mile you’ll walk up and over forested Horse Hobble Hill, cross Ash Brook Swamp, and suddenly ascend strikingly different Red Hill, an arid meadow reminiscent of the South Jersey Pine Barrens.
Grobman, an Adopt-A-Trail volunteer, has helped maintain the trails here for years and will share much of what he has learned, including the berries that Civil War soldiers used to produce ink for writing letters, a tree once used to make root beer and is still used to make gumbo, and point out the skunk cabbage that produces such an awful, disgusting smell.
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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.
Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Vice Chairman Sergio Granados present a resolution to Valerie Latona and Dave Contract of Westfield commending them on their effort to remind the community that even during divisive times the nation continues to be bound by love; love of country, love of friends and neighbors and love of communities.
In February, for Valentine’s Day, the couple invited friends and neighbors to post hearts on their fence, each with its own message of love, hope and inspiration. There are now more than 300 hearts, each with its own positive message, posted on their fence, a symbol of unity in the community and the nation.
The Freeholder Board noted its support and appreciation to Valerie Latona and Dave Contract and requested to add their names to the fence, to demonstrate their support and commitment to this project.
Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi announced that the drawing for ballot positions for the June 6, 2017 Primary Election will be held on Monday, April 17th at the County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth beginning at 3:00 p.m.
“Anyone interested in the primary election process is encouraged to attend,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “This year voters will decide on a Gubernatorial candidate for the Democratic and Republican Parties. In addition all legislative Senate and Assembly seats will be on the ballot along with county candidates for Sheriff and Freeholder.”
The date for the ballot drawing is set by state law. Because that date falls on Good Friday, a state holiday, the law mandates the drawing be moved to Monday, April 17.
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders would like to remind you of several free recycling events coming up this month.
Union County will host three Mobile Paper Shredding Events in April. The first is Saturday, April 1st at the Union County Vocational Technical School located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains, followed by Friday, April 7th in Warinanco Park in Roselle in the skating center parking lot and then on Friday, April 28that Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield. All events run from 9 am to 1 pm or until the truck(s) get filled. Residents can bring up to four bags of confidential documents for shredding.
On Saturday, April 22rd, there will be a Household Hazardous Waste Program at the Union County Vo-Tech School located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. The event will be held from 9 am to 2pm. Items for drop off include old pesticides & herbicides, pool chemicals, gasoline, oil-based paints and deck stain.
On Saturday, April 29rd, there will be a Computer and Electronics Recycling Event at the Union County Vo-Tech School located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. The event will be held from 9 am to 1pm. Items for drop off include televisions, computers, monitors, printers, fax machines and DVD players.
Union County’s Scrap Metal Recycling program also starts up again this month. The events are the first Thursday and Third Saturday of each month so Thursday, April 6th and Saturday, April 22nd(this event was moved to the fourth Saturday due to the holiday). There are two (2) locations in Union County for residents to drop off their metal for recycling, one in Cranford and Rahway. All locations will be open from 9 am to 12 pm. Residents can drop off old appliances, microwaves, air conditioners, and metal lawn furniture to name a few.
The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will sponsor its first Household Hazardous Waste Collection event of 2017 on Saturday, April 22nd. Union County residents are invited to use this opportunity to can get rid of outdated or unwanted household chemicals, mercury thermostats, propane tanks, and automobile tires in an environmentally safe manner. The household hazardous waste collection will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Union County Vocational Technical School located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. Please note that latex (water-based) paint will not be accepted. Residents should dry the paint out and discard with their regular garbage. This program is free to all residents of Union County.
“The household hazardous waste program for Union County residents is particularly important as we become more aware of the need for proper disposal of old or unwanted hazardous items that are found around the home,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “This is also a great opportunity to recycle tires, propane tanks and fluorescent bulbs. The result of our effort is safer homes and a cleaner environment for our families and our neighbors.”
Upon arrival at the UC Vo-Tech School with household special waste items, residents should remain in their vehicle while professional workers at the site unload the waste materials for disposal.
“Household hazardous waste” includes oil-based paint and varnish, antifreeze, aerosol cans, pool chemicals, corrosives, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, thinners, fire extinguishers, motor oil and oil filters, gasoline, batteries, thermostats, fluorescent bulbs (unbroken), and mercury switches. Only materials in original or labeled containers will be accepted. No containers larger than five gallons will be accepted. There is a limit of eight automobile tires (without rims) per household.
Latex (water-based) paint and empty cans will not be accepted. Leftover latex paint can be air-dried or kitty litter and/or newspaper can be added to hasten the drying. Empty or dried out cans should be disposed of with the regular garbage.
A broader list of the materials that will be accepted on April 22nd as well as future event dates and locations are available at the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning web page at ucnj.org/recycle.
The household hazardous waste collection will be held rain or shine, for Union County residents only and not for businesses. Proof of Union County residency is required. For more information, please call the Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889.
Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi advises travelers that the U.S. Department of State has increased its processing time for passports. Persons seeking routine passport services should now anticipate a wait of approximately six to eight weeks.
Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the first paper shredding event of 2017 is scheduled for Saturday, April 1 in Scotch Plains. The event is free and open to all Union County residents.
Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi announced that the drawing for ballot positions for the June 6, 2017 Primary Election will be held on Monday, April 17th at the County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth beginning at 3:00 p.m.
