Category: Public Info

Union County, NJ – Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski and Christopher Hudak joined Groundwork Elizabeth Board of Directors President Gregory Waga and Executive Director Jonathan Phillips at the Liberty Hall Farm at Kean University last week for the launch of MORE P.E.A.S., a new state funded community initiative run by Groundwork. P.E.A.S — Permaculture Education Agricultural Systems — promotes care for the earth, care for people, and return of surplus. Groundwork is also the Freeholder Board’s partner for the new Union County Community Garden Grants program. For more information about Groundwork visit groundworkelizabeth.com or call 908-289-0262, ext. 203. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

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 Christopher Hudak presents resolutions to the Linden High School Boys Basketball Team congratulating them on their outstanding 2015-16 season. The Linden Tigers, under the guidance of Head Coach Phil Colicchio, won 24 games while losing 6 and captured their fourth straight New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association North Jersey, Section Two, Group Four Title.

Freeholder Hudak also presented Coach Colicchio a resolution congratulating him on achieving his 400th victory as a head varsity coach during the 2015-16 season at Linden High School.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that the next mobile paper-shredding program for personal, confidential documents will visit Plainfield on Arbor Day, Friday, April 29.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft by providing a convenient way to shred your confidential documents,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce Bergen. “It promotes our County recycling efforts and ties in with Union County’s other Green Initiatives.”

The April 29th shredding event will take place in Cedar Brook Park off Park Avenue in Plainfield. NEXCUT Shredding of Elizabeth will be shredding personal documents from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. The event will end before 1 p.m. if the shredding truck reaches capacity.

All Union County residents are eligible to use the paper-shredding service. In an effort to accommodate everyone, there is a limit of four, 10-pound bags or boxes per person. This is a garbage-free event so please bring your documents in paper bags if at all possible. Plastic bags and boxes will be returned. Please remove plastic binders and paperclips. Paper that is wet/damp will not be accepted. 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 next shredding event will take place Saturday, May 14^th at Alcatel-Lucent in New Providence.

The mobile shredding program is paid for through New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Recycling Enhancement Act Grant Funds. For more information about future events or directions please call the Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889 or visit us online at www.ucnj.org/recycle .

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholders Christopher Hudak, Vernell Wright and Angel G. Estrada joined Union County College President Dr. Margaret McMenamin, Union County College Board of Trustees Chair Victor Richel and Union County College Foundation Chair Jeffrey Katz in congratulating several of the students who received Freeholders Scholarships during the annual scholarship reception on the Union County College’s Cranford campus. Fifteen students received Freeholders Scholarships

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Bridge deck project advances to new stage

New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced a traffic shift on Route 22 westbound and a detour of Rosemont Avenue to establish a new stage in construction as the Route 22 westbound over Burke Parkway bridge replacement project advances in Union County.

Starting at 10 p.m. Friday, April 15 and continuing for several weeks, NJDOT’s contractor Power Concrete, Co. Inc., is scheduled to temporarily close travel lanes on Route 22 westbound for asphalt pavement, concrete curb, guiderail and fence work before and after the bridge. The overnight operations for this stage in construction will shift motorists onto the left-side of the bridge and detour traffic for the Rosemont Avenue exit from Route 22 westbound. The following detour will be in place:

Detour from Route 22 westbound to Rosemont Avenue

• Motorists attempting to take the Rosemont Avenue exit will be directed to continue on Route 22 and make a right onto Wewanna Avenue, and make the next right onto Lansdowne Avenue
• From Lansdowne Avenue, motorists will proceed back onto Rosemont Avenue

The $2 million bridge deck replacement project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2016. The project is being constructed in stages, which began with the new deck and parapets. Each stage is re-constructing approximately one third of the bridge deck at a time. The bridge deck replacement project includes milling and paving the bridge approaches, and reconstructing the guide rail, sidewalk, and curb. As the project progresses, NJDOT will provide information before any closures or detours are implemented.

NJDOT will be using Variable Message Signs to provide advance notification to motorists of traffic pattern changes associated with the work.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info.

COUNTY OF UNION ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH HOME FOR GOOD DOG RESCUE

County to co-sponsor public events in Summit and Cranford promoting dog adoptions and family fun with Berkeley Heights-based non-profit

UNION COUNTY— The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announced it will co-sponsor events this year supporting Home for Good Dog Rescue, a Berkeley Heights-based non-profit organization which works to save dogs from high-kill shelters, and place them in loving homes.

“We are pleased to announce this partnership to support Home for Good Dog Rescue in their mission to provide happy, healthy pets with a permanent home,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, who is also a dog owner. “These are dogs who through no fault of their own, wound up facing euthanization, and deserve a second chance at life.”

As part of his Freeholder initiatives for 2016, Chairman Bergen announced the County would partner with an organization that would run a dog event. Bergen also announced efforts to create a regional animal shelter that would provide municipalities with a consistent level of animal control while promoting humane treatment.

The sponsorship of Home for Good Dog Rescue will involve providing equipment and materials, and manpower for an upcoming event at Nomahegan Park on April 30^th in Cranford—the 5K Run and 5K Doggy Dash, and for their signature event, their sixth annual Bark-A-Que and Dog Adoption event coming up on September 10th at the Village Green in Summit.

“We are so thrilled to partner with the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, especially for our upcoming 5K Run and Doggy Dash later this month,” Shari Gold, Home for Good Dog Rescue’s Manager of Development, said. “Last year’s event at Nomahegan Park was great, and we know that with the county’s support, this year will be even better!”

Various studies have shown pets (particularly dogs) to be psychologically, emotionally and physically beneficial. Pet ownership can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment and lessen feelings of loneliness and isolation in all age groups. 

Also, animal advocates note that shelter adoptions are also another way to combat the burgeoning puppy mill business–“factory style” breeding facilities that put profit above the welfare of dogs. Animals from puppy mills are housed in poor conditions with improper medical care, and are often very sick and behaviorally troubled as a result. Earlier this year, the County of Union passed a resolution supporting NJ State Senator Raymond Lesniak’s bill that would ban or curtail the operation of puppy mills in New Jersey.

Home for Good Dog Rescue is a 100% foster-based, non-profit 501(c) (3) dog rescue established in 2010 in Summit, New Jersey with offices in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey.

The Second Annual 5K Run and Doggy Dash event coming up on April 30^th from 8 a.m.-11 a.m. at Nomahegan Park in Cranford. The event is on a USATF Certified course.  There will also be a 1 Mile Dog Walk for non-runners.  You can register online at: Register.Compuscore.com/HomeforGood5K.

The event will be held from 8A.M-11A.M. rain or shine. There will be t-shirts, refreshments and prizes awarded to the top 5K runners and the top 5K runner/canine teams.  For more information about Home for Good Dog Rescue, please go to: http://homeforgooddogs.org/

 

 

 

Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan, Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi and Union County Surrogate James LaCorte congratulate the top winners of the 2016 “My County” poster contest sponsored by the Union County Constitutional Officers.

The top winners of the contest are (from 2^nd left): Reed Cabral (1st place) from St. Bartholomew Academy in Scotch Plains, Tatiana Fecowycz (2nd place) from Holy Trinity Interparochial School in Westfield, Julia Polo (3rd place) from St. John the Apostle Elementary School in Clark and Jonathan Moncayo (4th place) from the Ronald Reagan Academy #30 in Elizabeth.

More than 200 fourth grade students from schools throughout Union County entered the contest.

(Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Event features tasty all-new “Rutgers 250” tomato variety

Union County, NJ –April’s chilly winds are making way for balmier weather, just in time for the 27^th annual Union County Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale. This year the event takes place on Sunday May 15, 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Demonstration Garden by the Union County Trailside Nature and Science Center in the Watchung Reservation, at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside.

As always, admission and parking are free. All sales are cash only. Proceeds from the sale go to fund community service projects of the Master Gardeners of Union County, the all-volunteer organization that runs the Demonstration Garden.

“Every year, our Master Gardeners work hard to assemble a great collection of plants, activities and educational opportunities for every gardener, from raw beginner to seasoned pro,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “A visit to the Spring Garden Fair is a fun, inspiring way to kick off the growing season, and I wish the Master Gardeners all the best for another successful event.”

The Spring Garden Fair features deer resistant, drought tolerant and fragrant plants that thrive in Union County, including many easy-to-grow plants for beginner gardeners and a large selection of tomatoes and herbs.

 

Popular tomato varieties for sale at the fair include the Ramapo and the Mortgage Lifter, so named for the 1940’s-era grower who paid off his mortgage by selling plants.

 

One major highlight of the fair this year is the brand new “Rutgers 250” tomato, available for sale as transplants only.

 

Introduced on a limited supply basis just last summer by the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station of Rutgers University, the new variety is a historic re-invention of the world famous Jersey tomato first introduced in 1934 by Rutgers.

 

“The new Rutgers 250 variety promises bursting flavor with a little more bite and complexity, according to the experts,” said Bergen. “It’s not available to large commercial growers yet, so stock up at the Garden Fair and get a head start in your own backyard.”

 

In addition to selling plants, baked goods, books, crafts, and garden supplies, the Spring Garden Fair is packed with activities for gardeners of all ages including:

 

• Guided tours of the Demonstration Garden including the vegetable and herb gardens.
• Displays and information for “Square Foot Gardening,” Rain Barrels, and Rain Gardens.
• Information on joining the Master Gardeners and the 4-H Master Tree Stewards.
• Free children’s activities.
• Free Garden Helpline clinic and Rutgers information fact sheets for gardening problems (attendees can bring plant and insect samples for diagnosis, and a Rutgers soil test kit is available for sale).

 

Free nearby parking is located at the Trailside Nature & Science Center parking lot and the Scout Camping Area. Additional free parking is available in the Loop playground area, located a short walk away on the other side of Trailside.

 

Visitors are advised to bring a small wagon to convey their purchases. Sorry – no pets are permitted at the Garden Fair.

 

The Master Gardeners of Union County is an all-volunteer organization run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, supported in part by the Freeholder Board. Anyone with an interest in gardening and volunteer service can become a Master Gardener. No previous education or training in horticulture is required. 

 

Among the Master Gardeners community service projects are educational events and summer camps, neighborhood beautification and nutrition projects, and a horticultural scholarship. The group’s work in the Demonstration Garden has also yielded thousands of pounds of fresh produce for local food pantries, and many donations of cut flowers to cancer centers.

 

For more information on the Master Gardeners program, contact Judi Laganga at the Extension at 908-654-9854 (ext. 2), or visit online at ucnj.org/rce. The Extension offices are located in the Colleen Frasier county services building, 300 North Avenue East in Westfield.

#  #

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 Union County Library Grants for Children’s Programming and Materials is now open for applications. A total of $150,000 in funding is available in 2016 for public libraries to expand and enhance their services for children.

Now in its second year, the new grant opportunity helps local libraries provide updated programming and resources to meet new and evolving demands for both traditional and non-traditional services.

“The response to the first round of the Library Grants program was overwhelming, and I would like to thank my colleagues on the Freeholder Board for supporting it this year,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “Our population is growing, and new opportunities for learning and enrichment are emerging. Now is the time to dedicate more resources to our local public libraries.”

The 2016 grant amount of $150,000 more than doubles last year’s disbursement.

“Our local libraries welcome all residents to come together, learn from each other, explore our diversity and celebrate our common interests,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, who was instrumental in launching the grant program in 2015. “These new funds will enable our libraries to expand their offerings and continue to attract children for education and personal development, while strengthening our local communities.”

The Library Grants program is funded with non-tax dollars for the benefit of local, non-school libraries. In 2015, the first year of funding, all 20 municipal libraries in Union County received grants for a total of almost $75,000.

Projects eligible for funding include technology upgrades, educational programming, the purchase of books, videos, and audio tapes, the creation or expansion of summer and fall programming, and the development of planning documents.

The Library Grants Program is part of Chairman Bergen’s “Union County at Work and Play” 2016 initiative for countywide economic development and quality of life improvements.

Other elements of the initiative include new small business loans and job opportunities, recreation improvements and events, and advocacy for Union County College.

For more information on all of the 2016 Chairman’s Initiatives visit ucnj.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:

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados joined Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, Union County College President Margaret McMenamin and Victor Richel, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Union County College, in congratulating Obadiah Dryer, Claudio Argemi, David Guevara, Kun Yu Chou and Dexter Vally who recently graduated from the Metal Fabrication/CNC Machinist training program for high-tech jobs in advanced manufacturing during a ceremony in Elizabeth. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)