Category: Public Info

On Wednesday, May 12th, Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, and County Manager Alfred Faella  enjoyed the spectacular performances of the very talented High School students throughout Union County at the Union County Teen Arts Showcase at the Union County Performing Arts Center.

Freeholder Kowalski and County Manager Faella served as Emcees and were taken back by the extreme talents.  Vice Chairman Granados was also in awe as he watched from the audience. There is no wonder why 13 groups will move on to the State Festival to represent the County in June.

(From left) Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright presented certificates of recognition and congratulated Clarissa Robles of Elizabeth, Queen King of Hillside, Kristina Geiger of Clark, Joe Narciso of New Providence, Sgt. Johnny Henderson of Plainfield, Alexis Monaco of Roselle Park, Lt. Thomas Nugent of Roselle and Bill Ilaria of Cranford on being named the 2016 Union County Municipal Volunteers of the Year by the Local Advisory Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (LACADA) at the group’s annual volunteer recognition dinner in Union.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The left lane of the Bridge (NY bound) will fully close on May 15 and May 21 – anticipate 15-minute delay during left lane closure only.

 

May 15 – Sunday

• High Speed E-ZPass closes at 11pm
• Left Lane on Bridge closes from 11pm till 5am

 

High-Speed E-ZPass lanes closed – all day – anticipate 15 minute delays during peak traffic period each day.

• May 16 – Monday
• May 17 – Tuesday
• May 18 – Wednesday
• May 19 – Thursday
• May 20 – Friday

 

May 21 – Saturday

• Left lane on Bridge (NY bound) closes from 12:01am till 10am – anticipate 15 minute delays during left lane closure only.
• Project completed – both High Speed E-ZPass lanes open at 10am

Orchestra will kick off Union County’s Summer Arts Festival Series with program featuring movie selections, as well as works from Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Beethoven and Rossini

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ—The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra will kick off the 56th annual Summer Arts Festival Concert Series at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside on Friday June 24th at 7:30 p.m.

The Orchestra will perform musical selections from :Ghostbusters,” “Star Wars,” “The Godfather: Part III,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Moulin Rouge,”  and “Batman” as well as pieces from Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Beethoven, and Rossini.

The show is free, and visitors are urged to pack a picnic basket, bring lawn chairs or blankets. Refreshments and snacks will also be available from vendors. As with all festival concerts throughout the Summer, attendees can also participate in Union County Get Fit Yoga program beginning at 6:30 p.m. Bring a mat or beach towel and participate in the healthy activities for the entire family.

“The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra is one of the state’s cultural treasures and we are excited to feature them as our opening act for our Summer Arts Festival,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “We encourage our residents to enjoy the music under the stars, and a memorable night of classical entertainment.”

Named “a vital, artistically significant musical organization” by The Wall Street Journal, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) embodies that vitality through its statewide presence and critically acclaimed performances, education partnerships and unparalleled access to music and the Orchestra’s superb musicians.

The NJSO presents classical, pops and family programs, as well as outdoor summer concerts and special events throughout the state. For more information about the NJSO, please go to http://www.njsymphony.org/

The other free concerts in the Union County Summer Arts Festival series are scheduled for Wednesday nights throughout July in Echo Lake and then in August at Oak Ridge Park in Clark:

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Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen joined Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan, Undersheriff Michael Frank, Captain Dennis Burke and Sheriff’s Chaplin Father Phillip Latronico as Sergeants Brian Howarth and Ryan Wilson placed a wreath in memory of K-9 Lorcan at the Union County Sheriff’s K-9 Monument in Summit during a memorial service for K-9 Lorcan.

They were joined by Sheriff’s K-9 Officers Ashley Current, Tim O’Grady, Bryan Frew and Detective Anthony Gialanella.

K-9 Lorcan, who passed away in March, was Sgt. Wilson’s partner. He joined the Union County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit in May 2009 and was trained in patrol and narcotics detection.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce a free lecture of special interest for adults 18 years and older at the Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside. 

In honor of Trailside’s 75th anniversary, Trailside Museum Association is sponsoring a guest speaker on Saturday, May 14 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm.   The highly acclaimed author Douglas Tallamy, Professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, presents a seminal lecture on the subject of his book, “Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants.”  This lecture will offer critically important insights into the changes we are making to the environment and how we can make positive transformative changes on the small scale of our own backyards.  Tallamy challenges the audience with questions, such as why is it important to welcome insects to our yards and how can we make our landscapes living ecosystems.  Tallamy’s book was the recipient of The Garden Writers Association of America Silver Medal in 2008.  This lecture is free. The author will have books for sale and signing.

“This lecture will offer critically important insights into the changes we are making to the environment and how we can make positive transformative changes on a small scale in our own backyards,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen.

For more information about this workshop, or other activities at Trailside, please call 908-789-3670 or visit www.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.

Advocacy program aimed at connecting women with government services

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to announce the development of the new Office on Women. Established under the Department of Human Services, the Union County Office on Women is the first County government office of its kind in New Jersey.

“The Office on Women will provide a platform for leadership and advocacy on the needs of women of all ages, and serve as a catalyst for awareness and action on current and emerging issues that impact women’s lives,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen.

The mission of the Office on Women is to help ensure that women connect with services and programs that enable them to reach their full potential at every stage of their lives: in education, in employment and business, health, and in the social fabric of Union County, and to raise awareness of the many contributions that women make to life in Union County.

The Office on Women, which is set up in the Department of Human Services, serves women in all walks of life throughout Union County. Through analysis, research and strategic collaboration the Office on Women will work to ensure that local programs and services support women’s leadership, equality and advancement in the home, at work and in the community.

For more information about the office,  and to learn more about resources that are available, contact Jennifer Erdos, who is coordinator of the Office on Women, at 908-527-4216 or visit ucnj.org/women.

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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The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation have announced the rescheduled date for  year’s “Touch A Truck” event:   Sunday afternoon, November 6  from 12 P.M. until 5 P.M.,   in the Lower Loop Parking Lot of the Watchung Reservation. There will also be a quiet hour, from 11 A.M. until 12 P.M. where children sensitive to noise will be able to enjoy the vehicles on display.

Touch A Truck will coincide with Trailside’s Rock, Gem and Mineral Show.

Admission to the Touch A Truck event is $4 per person, with children 6 years old and under admitted free.

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 the 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 damn.

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

Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi invites County residents and visitors to view results of presidential elections dating back to 1920. A link to the data is available on the County Clerk’s website, ucnj.org/county-clerk.

“Making these election records open to all provides a window into the history of Union County – a county which has changed demographically, politically and geographically in the 92 years we have kept election records. I am excited to make these records available,” said Ms. Rajoppi.

“Interest in the electoral process runs high during presidential election years, and this historical data provides an opportunity to view past elections going back almost one hundred years. It’s fascinating to pick out patterns in the numbers, and to recall the many personalities who waged campaigns both within their party and against the opposing party,” she further explained.

The new page includes the names and party affiliations of all the Presidential candidates in both the primary and general elections beginning in 1920. Votes among the 21 towns are aggregated into countywide figures and arranged in categories including the total number of votes cast as well as the number of registered voters.

 

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Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi is pleased to announce two updates for “Union County Votes,” a mobile app that provides voters and election watchers with on-the-go information.

“We are always looking for ways to expand and improve Union County Votes, and this election cycle is especially important because it is a Presidential year,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “The new updates will help voters find their correct polling places and get accurate information about the candidates, from the convenience of their mobile devices.”

One update is a new button labeled “Presidential Candidates.” It provides direct links to the official campaign website of each candidate.

“Even though some candidates have suspended their campaigns before the end of Primary season, they will still appear on the Primary Ballot as they have been certified by the New Jersey Department of State. So, we have included the links to their websites as well,” explained Ms. Rajoppi.

The existing “Where do I vote?” button has also been updated to reflect any new changes in polling places.

Ms. Rajoppi created Union County Votes in 2014, to help connect the public with critical information about voting and elections.

Eligible Union County residents have until May 17 to register to vote in the June 7 Primary Election. Persons who are currently age 17 can also register in advance, if they turn 18 on or before Election Day.

The “Are you 17?” button on the Union County Votes app provides more information.

Registered voters also have time to request a Vote-By-Mail ballot before the June 7 Primary, and the app has a button for that.

 “In New Jersey, any registered voter can use a Vote-By-Mail ballot for any reason,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “It’s convenient and secure, and it will ensure that your voice is heard if you can’t make it to the polls on Election Day.”

For all election information, including complete details and deadlines for registration and Vote-By-Mail, visit the County Clerk online at ucnj.org/county-clerk or call the Election Division at 908-527-4996.

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