Category: Public Info

ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of paintings by Agnieszka Solawa of Summit in the gallery space at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, located in the historic St. John’s Parsonage at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth. A selection of her work entitled “The Art of Agnieszka Solawa” is on display at the Pearl Street Gallery through June 10. The public is invited to enjoy the exhibit during regular gallery hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

“The talent and diversity of our county artists assure an inspiring variety of exhibits at the Pearl Street Gallery,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Advisory Board. “We are pleased to display Ms. Solawa’s beautiful paintings.”

Agnieszka Solawa was born in Krakow, Poland, where she grew up surrounded by art. Her mother was an artist, actress and ballerina. Her father was chief architect of the city of Krakow and a professor at Krakow Polytechnic. Agnieszka’s family immigrated to South Africa to escape from communism. She earned a Diploma of Fine Art and a BA in Architecture from the University of Cape Town. While working in Paris, France, she studied Graphic Arts at the “Atelier 17.” She later won a scholarship to study art and Italian language at the University of Urbino in Italy.

In 1987, Agnieszka Solawa moved to the United States and ultimately settled in Summit, New Jersey, with her husband Sam, who also is an architect and photographer. Throughout her career, Agnieszka participated in many exhibitions in Italy, France, South Africa and the United States. Her paintings and photographs are in many private collections. Her recent exhibits include: Solo Exhibition of Photography, Millburn Public Library; Solo Exhibition of Paintings, Westfield Memorial Library; Solo Exhibition of Jewelry, New Providence Memorial Library; “Holy Lives,” Juried Show, Therese A. Maloney Art Gallery, Morristown; and “Seasons,” 3^rd Annual Photography Contest, The Donald B. Palmer Museum, Springfield, NJ.

Agnieszka continued her photography and painting while working as an architect/interior designer at Donghia Associates in New York City and later as an architect at the Port Authority. She also is a jewelry designer and a singer. To see her work, visit her website www.solawa.com .

Union County artists (whose works can be hung on a wall) interested in exhibiting in the gallery space are welcome to apply. For more information about the Pearl Street Gallery or other programs, please contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth NJ 07202. Free on-site parking is available. Telephone 908-558-2550. NJ Relay users can dial 711. Send E-mail to: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

 

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders sponsors students from Union County high schools to participate in the first annual Drama Festival next week in Rahway.

High school students from Rahway High School, Union County Academy for the Performing Arts, and Abraham Clark High School, as well as students from Montclair and Bound Brook, are registered to participate in the day-long Drama Festival.  Produced by American Theater Group, a nonprofit professional theatre company, the event is scheduled to be held at UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage in Rahway on Thursday, April 28.

“The new Drama Festival will provide a unique opportunity for students to develop their craft, learn from trained theatre professionals and educators, and perform on a professional stage,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “The entire experience is a great opportunity to enhance student learning and creative thinking, explore imagination, and promote teamwork and collaboration.”

Each school participating in the Drama Festival will have the opportunity to present a scene from a play or musical to a panel of working members of the Broadway theatre industry who will offer in-depth critiques of the student presentations.

Students will also have an opportunity to participate in a workshop with Tony-Award winning actress Michele Pawk and preeminent Broadway Fight Choreographer Rick Sordelet.

In addition, after the day’s events, students will attend a performance of ATG’s production of Crossing Swords.  This world premiere musical is about a group of high school students who attempt to put on a play, and end up seeing life imitate art as passions ignite and jealousies fly.  The day’s events culminate with a post-performance Q&A with the cast and creative team of Crossing Swords, including writer and composer Joe Slabe.

American Theater Group (ATG) is one of New Jersey’s newest nonprofit professional theatre companies.  Founded by New Jersey natives Jim Vagias, Joe Mancuso and Rick Sordelet, and under the Board leadership of Tony-Award winning actress Michele Pawk, ATG’s mission is to produce works by American Playwrights, with an emphasis on the development of new works and undeservedly neglected classics, and to nurture the audiences and artists of tomorrow by strong arts-in-education programming.  Now in its fourth season, ATG produces in the new state-of-the-art facility, Hamilton Stage, an intimate 199 seat theater that is operated by the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway.

 

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that a total of 19.4 miles of County roads will be repaved this season. The work, approved at the Freeholder Board’s regular public meeting on April 14, is the latest in an annual series of road resurfacing programs. Work will begin later this spring.

“Union County is responsible for 174 miles of roads, including many main arteries that help move people and goods throughout our region,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “Our roads are one of the main drivers of economic and social activity, and taking good care of them is a top priority.”

In recent years the Freeholder Board has also approved major intersection improvement projects on County roads, including a new project in Plainfield funded by a $1.1 million federal grant. The new project involves three intersections on East Front Street, which will receive traffic signal upgrades, audible pedestrian countdown signals and high visibility crosswalks

“These new improvements will ease congestion for motorists. They will also help make the busy Plainfield business district more inviting for people on foot or bicycle, and for people with disabilities” said Freeholder Linda Carter, who chairs the Board’s Public Works and Facilities committee.

Under Chairman Bergen’s 2016 Move-Connect-Grow transportation initiative, the Freeholder Board has also focused on bridge replacement and reconstruction projects. This year, design work is moving forward on the Elm Street Bridge in Westfield, the West Tracy Drive Bridge in Mountainside, the Hussa Street Bridge in Linden, and the Irving Street Bridge in Rahway.

Move-Connect-Grow also includes an Infrastructure Grant Program providing County funding for municipal road repaving and other infrastructure projects, along with new bike paths, continued advocacy for mass transit improvements, and completion of the Transportation Master Plan, a key planning tool. More information about the Master Plan is available at ucnj.org.

The roads scheduled for resurfacing in 2016 are:

Summit

Morris Avenue from River Road to Springfield Avenue

Chatham Road from River Road to the County line

 

New Providence

Mountain Avenue from Diamond Hill Road to Division Avenue

 

Berkeley Heights

McMane Ave from Diamond Hill to Glenside Ave

 

Mountainside

Coles Avenue/ Sky Top Drive from Glenside Avenue to New Providence Road

 

Plainfield/Fanwood/Scotch Plains

Terrill Road from Somerset County line to LaGrande to 7^th Street

 

Plainfield

West 7^thStreet from Park Avenue to Middlesex County line

 

Union

Burnet Avenue from Morris Avenue to Essex County line

Chestnut Street from Galloping Hill Road to West Chestnut Street

 

Elizabeth/Union

Magie Avenue from Orchard Street to Galloping Hill Road

 

Kenilworth/Union/Elizabeth/RosellePark

Galloping Hill Rd from Kimberly Rd to Magie Ave

 

Hillside

Hillside Avenue from Chestnut Avenue to North Broad

 

Rahway

Madison Hill Road from Westfield to the Bridge/Dam

 

Elizabeth

Jefferson Avenue from Magnolia Avenue to North Avenue

Elizabethtown Plaza from Rahway Avenue to Caldwell Place

Jersey Avenue from West End Avenue to Roselle Borough Line

 

Linden

Elizabeth Avenue from Stiles Street to Park Avenue

 

Clark

Ross Street and Valley Road from Route 27 to Stiles Street

For up-to-date information on road closures and other travel advisories related to County road and bridge projects, visit the interactive Road Construction Update page at ucnj.org/traffic.

To report potholes on County roads, use the convenient online form at ucnj.org/pothole.

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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.

Connect with Union County on social media.

 

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)