Category: Public Info

Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh, Vice Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholders Alexander Mirabella and Angel G. Estrada presented a resolution to Prevention Links Executive Director Pam Capaci congratulating the organization on a successful Drug Prevention Walk during the 17th Annual Red Ribbon Drug Awareness Day on October 17 at Nomahegan Park in Cranford. They were joined by Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano. The event kicked off Red Ribbon Week which is aimed at educating young people about the dangers of drugs and encourages them to live a drug free lifestyle. For more information, visit www.preventionlinks.org.

(Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

During the early morning hours of Friday, October 15, members of the Union County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division-Family Violence Unit conducted a child support sweep in Union, Linden, Rahway, Roselle and Hillside, Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan announced today.

The Sheriff’s officers arrested 15 people for failure to pay child support for arrears totaling $419,890.42. As a result of their investigation, an additional 7 people surrendered to the Sheriff’s Office for arrears totaling $171,792.98.

“Time and time again we are seeing parents struggle because someone has shirked their responsibility,” Sheriff Cryan said.

“We want to send a message that if you are not paying your obligation for child support, we will pursue you and we will catch you,” the Sheriff added. “If this type of enforcement coerces other parents to pay what they owe, it is worth it.”

The round-up was led by Family Violence Unit Commander Lt. Jeffery Coon and Unit Supervisor Sgt. Clifford Meros. All the arrests were made without incident.

Those who were arrested were committed to the Union County Jail pending a Superior Court appearance. The people who surrendered were processed and brought for a Superior Court appearance.

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NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for personal documents will be available on Sunday, October 25, in New Providence.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft and eliminate clutter in their homes,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “It is a cost-effective way to assist our recycling efforts and it ties in with Union County’s other Go Green Initiatives.”

The Oct. 25^th shredding event will take place at the Alcatel-Lucent facility, located at 600 Mountain Avenue in New Providence. NEXCUT Shredding of Elizabeth will be shredding documents at the site from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. The shredding 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. Documents should not be bound. 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 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 Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889 or visit us online at www.ucnj.org/recycle .

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – The County of Union will sponsor a recycling event for electronic equipment on Saturday, October 24, 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. at the Alcatel-Lucent facility located at 600 Mountain Avenue in New Providence.

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, cadmium and PCBs – and it is unlawful to dispose of them with the regular garbage,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Up to 95 percent of most electronic appliances can be recycled. This is a responsible way to keep hazardous heavy metals out of our environment.”

Electronic equipment that will be accepted on Oct. 24 includes computer monitors, hard drives, modems, keyboards, CPU’s, mice, printers, scanners, speakers, televisions, tablets and e-readers, VCR’s, fax machines, telephones, circuit boards, CD’s, DVD’s and video cassettes.

All that residents need to do is drive to the site with their unwanted electronic equipment. Workers at the site will unload the vehicles.

Pre-registration is not required for this special Saturday collection.

Refrigerators, washers and dryers, microwaves, and air conditioners will not be accepted, but they are accepted at Union County’s Scrap Metal Recycling Program.

A complete list of the materials that will be accepted on Oct. 24 is available at the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning website: www.ucnj.org/recycle.

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.

In addition to the special Oct. 24 recycling event sponsored by the County of Union, there are local businesses as well as 14 municipalities that provide E-cycling opportunities for residents. Visit the website www.ucnj.org/recycle or call your municipal recycling coordinator for more computer and electronics recycling options.

An alternative drop-off program for recycling electronics equipment is available Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at Newtech Recycling, located at 600-A Apgar Drive, Somerset NJ 08873; 732-564-3110. Visit www.newtechrecycling.com .

For more information about recycling events, please call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908- 654-9889.

 

Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi reminds voters that sample ballots for all 21 municipalities are now available for view and download on the County Clerk’s website, ucnj.org/county-clerk and through the Union County Votes App, a free download for your mobile device.

“Sample ballots are mailed out to every registered voter, as always. The online service offers another convenient way to familiarize yourself with the ballot before Election Day,” said Rajoppi. “Also, the availability of the sample ballot on our Union County Votes App allows voters the opportunity to access the sample ballot from the voting booth if necessary.”

This year the design of the sample ballot has been altered slightly to include a blue heading denoting the School Board section of the ballot. The General Election section is still delineated by a red heading.

“The blue bar is intended to alert voters that the School Board Election is placed below the General Election, so voters don’t miss an important opportunity to make their voice heard throughout the ballot,” said Rajoppi.

Similarly, the blue bar and red bar are used to distinguish the School Board Election and General Election parts of the Official Machine ballot and the new Vote-By-Mail Ballot.

Voters with questions about the election process can call the County Clerk’s Elections Division, 908-527-4996.

For all County Clerk programs and services visit online at ucnj.org/county-clerk or call 908-527-4787.

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This month’s Vintage Views program features interviews with Ron Esposito, AAA Traffic Safety Specialist, and Christine Marcantonio, Traffic Safety Program Coordinator for Union County. The program centers around important traffic safety and driver assistance programs for seniors, as well Union County’s popular Child Safety Seat program, which inspects and assists with the installation of child safety seats for residents.

In recognition of oral cancer awareness, the Union County Office of Health Management through the Chronic Disease Coalition of Middlesex and Union Counties has partnered with Krause Dental Care in Cranford to provide free oral cancer screenings.

Doctor Kurt M. Krause, D.M.D. will be conducting the free oral cancer screenings on Friday, November 13 from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. at his office located at 118 North Avenue West, Suite 101 in Cranford. To make an appointment for your complimentary screening please call Doctor Krause at 908-272-3001. 

“I’d like to thank all our partners involved in this screening, and ongoing efforts to raise public awareness about reducing oral cancer risks,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Oral cancer screenings can save lives. Early detection is key to increasing the survival rate for oral cancer and plays a significant role in a person’s success in fighting the disease. ”

Oral cancer will be diagnosed in an estimated 35,000 Americans this year and will cause approximately 7,500 deaths.  The good news is that it can often be found early in its development, through a simple, painless, and quick screening. With early detection, survival rates are high and the side-effects from treatment are at their lowest.

Like other health screenings, oral cancer screenings are an effective means of finding cancer at its early, highly curable stages. The Chronic Disease Coalition of Middlesex and Union Counties and Doctor Krause urge you to make oral cancer screening part of your annual health check-ups.

Doctor Krause is committed to doing his part to raise awareness of the importance of early detection of this devastating disease.  As with most cancers, early detection dramatically increases the survival rate.  For the third consecutive year, Doctor Krause and his staff are proud to be part of the first line of defense against oral cancer by encouraging yearly oral cancer screenings as well as educating patients as to the risk factors and early signs and symptoms of oral cancer.

To make an appointment for your complimentary screening please call Dr. Krause at (908) 272-3001.  For additional information, please visit Dr. Krause’s website at krausedentalcare.com.

For more information about Oral Cancer Screening, please call the Union County Office of Health Management at 908-518-5620.

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Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski joined Springfield Mayor David Barnett, Deputy Mayor Margaret Bandrowski, Summit Mayor Ellen Dickson, Summit Councilwoman Sandra R. Lizza and Councilmen Richard J. Madden, Albert Dill and Mike McTernan in cutting the ribbon officially opening the newly restored and improved Briant Park in Summit and Springfield.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders awarded a $275,000 grant from the Union County Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund toward the restoration of Briant Park. The grant was matched by a state Green Acres grant received by the Briant Park Olmsted Conservancy.

The new improvements include a gazebo to provide a sheltered seating area and a new nature trail featuring wood chips to complement the natural feel of the park environment. 

Other improvements include new plantings and soil restoration, pruning and removal of dead trees, new benches including wheelchair access to seating areas, period sign posts, restoration of a retaining wall on the west slope, and aesthetic improvements to an existing footbridge.

The Union County parks system includes 36 parks totaling more than 6,700 acres. Briant Park is 51 acres.

Since its inception in 2000, the Trust Fund has enabled Union County to restore and improve services at County parks, contribute to local preservation and recreation efforts, and add hundreds of acres of preserved open space to County parklands including brownfields reclaimed for public recreation.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The kids will love it…including the ones who haven’t really grown up yet: A train ride and a little history.

When 27 historic sites and museums across the county open their doors to the public on October 17 and 18 for Union County’s Four Centuries In A Weekend, a number of sites can be easily visited by train.

A number of historic sites in Union County are within easy walking distance of NJ Transit rail stations and on the Raritan Valley line, shuttles will provide free connecting rides from two stations.

The Town of Westfield, in cooperation with the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation, will provide a shuttle bus from the Westfield station to the Deserted Village in the Watchung Reservation, with stops at the Miller-Cory Museum, the Reeve House, and the Deacon Hetfield House.

From Union Station, Kean University will provide free trolly rides to Liberty Hall, which like all sites, has waived any admission fees for the weekend celebration.

“Four Centuries is such a great event,” said Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski. “Giving families a chance to visit these sites and adding in the fun of a train ride, it’s just a win-win.”

Kowalski said the other advantage is that for visitors from out of the area, or for those who rely on mass transit, it will be possible for the first time to visit so many sites over the Four Centuries weekend.

“The train ride adds to the fun of learning about our area’s incredibly rich history. There was a lot going on here long before America even declared independence,” she said.

For families, there will also be some savings because NJ Transit allows children to ride free on weekends. Monthly commuter passes are also valid. Fare details are available at njtransit.com.

Some of the sites to visit include:

–The Deserted Village of Feltville. Located in the Watchung Reservation, there is plenty of parking. But there are also options this weekend to take mass transit or hike to the historic village nestled in the 2,200-acre reservation. There will be hayrides, tours, acheological dig for kids, children’s games, and the return of the ghose of David Felt. There will also be several history presentations. More details at ucnj.org/dv

–Fanwood. The Victorian Gothic train station on the westbound side of the tracks is on the National and State Registers of Historic Places. (fanwoodnj.org/history/historic-train-station/)

–Westfield. From the train station, either grab the shuttle or it is a walk north through downtown and then up Mountain Avenue, past the iconic Presbyterian Church to the Reeve House, home of the Westfield Historical Society, located at 314 Mountain Avenue. Just up the road is the Miller-Cory House Museum, 614 Mountain Ave. (millercoryhouse.org/ and westfieldhistoricalsociety.artisteer.net/)

–Cranford. Just north of downtown is the Crane-Phillips House Museum at 124 North Union Ave. This American Civil War veteran’s cottage stands next to the Rahway River near the 18th century river crossing, “Crane’s Ford.” (cranfordhistoricalsociety.org/)

–Roselle Park. Walk south on Chestnut Street to the borough’s downtown and you will find the Roselle Park Museum at 9 West Grant Ave. A little further, on Westfield Avenue, was the Charles E. Stone store, the first store in the world illuminated by Thomas Edison’s incandescent lamp.

–Union: The train stops at Kean University and across the street is Liberty Hall, 1003 Morris Ave., built on the eve of the American Revolution and home to William Livingston, one of the signers of the Constitution. (kean.edu/libertyhall/)

On the Northeast Corridor Line, there are a number of other possibilities.  Utilize Penn Station Newark to transfer from the Raritan Valley Line to the NE Corridor line.

–Elizabeth: From the Station and head north on Broad Street. Several major historic sites are an easy walk, including the First Presbyterian Church of Elizabeth & Snyder Academy at 42 Broad Street and the Boxwood Hall State Historic Site, 1073 East Jersey Street. Exit First Presbyterian to the left head to E. Jersey. Make a right onto E. Jersey and follow to 1073 E. Jersey.

–· Rahway: (15) Union County Performing Arts Center – 1601 Irving Street. Turn right onto Broad Street head to Irving Street and follow to 1601 Irving Street

On the Morristown Line and the Gladstone Branch, two sites are within a half-mile of the Summit station:

— Summit: Summit Playhouse, at10 New England Avenue, is just  west of the station. The Summit Library Association kept its books in various locations until residents donated $3,720 to build the Richardsonian Romanesque structure designed by Arthur Jennings. Twin Maples, located at 214 Springfield Avenue, is just east of the station.  Twin Maples, with its “White House” presence, is a suburban estate typical of those built in the Summit area between 1880 and 1920.

For more information about Four Centuries in a Weekend visit ucnj.org/4c.