Union County, NJ – With the impact of Superstorm Sandy still lingering almost three years later, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders reminds residents to prepare ahead as the next winter storm season approaches.

“Sandy was the largest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded, and we are still feeling the effects of its devastating force,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “It was a powerful reminder that taking a few simple steps to prepare ahead can make all the difference when disaster strikes.”

Widespread power outages, blocked roads and fuel shortages complicated recovery efforts in the immediate aftermath of Sandy, which made landfall in New Jersey on October 29, 2012.

Emergency experts recommend that every household and business be prepared to spend at least three days without power or access to local grocery stores and other services.

That includes keeping a first aid kit and a supply of non-perishable food and bottled water on hand. Flashlights and other emergency equipment should also be stored in an easily accessible area, and should be checked regularly to make sure they are working properly.

For vehicle owners, preparedness also includes responding to emergency guidance such as topping off gas tanks ahead of a storm and avoiding non-essential travel during recovery.

This September marks the 11^th annual National Preparedness Month, part of the Ready public service announcement campaign. The Ready campaign aims to involve individuals and entire communities in emergency preparedness and resiliency efforts.

“By taking a few simple steps ahead of time, you can help ensure the safety of your household or business, and you help your community, too,” said Jalloh. “When more citizens are prepared, our emergency responders can focus their efforts on helping those who need an extra hand such as persons with disabilities or medical complications.”

The Freeholder Board is participating in National Preparedness Month by relaying information and messages from the Ready campaign. Basic steps include:

1. Identify helpful sources of information before, during and after an emergency. In addition to tuning in to radio, television and online media, sign up online for free emergency alerts in Union County at ucfirstalert.org. Union County’s website (ucnj.org) and social media are also updated on an emergency basis.
2. Make a plan for what to do in an emergency, including contact information for family and emergency services.
3. Build an emergency supply kit. For households with pets, carriers and other equipment should be kept handy in addition to a supply of pet food and water.
4. Get involved — the volunteer Union County Medical Reserve Corps includes residents from all walks of life who want to pitch in during and after a disaster. A wide variety of skills are welcome. For more information contact the Union County Coordinator, Ella Shaykevich, 908-518-5620 or mrc@ucnj.org.

For more details about National Preparedness Month and the Ready Campaign, visit ready.gov/september or call the Union County Office of Health Management at 908-518-5620.

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The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Recreation are happy to announce that tickets are now on sale for this year’s Autumn Hayrides and Family Fun Around the Campfire.

The first event will take place on Friday, September 18, at Warinanco Park in the Boat House area. Hayrides beginning at 6:30 pm and run until 9:30 p.m.  Hayrides will include folks songs around the campfire, hot chocolate and marshmallows toasted over the fire.  Tickets must be purchased in advanced. There will be no tickets available at the event.

“The hayrides and campfire events are always among the most popular events in our parks, so those interesting in participating should get their tickets early and plan for a fun filled evening to begin the fall,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh.

Hayride tickets are available at three locations: Weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Union County Administration Building, Department of Parks and Recreation, 2^nd Floor, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday; and at Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence road, in Mountainside every day from noon to 5 p.m.

No tickets will be sold at the hayrides. So, please purchase your tickets in advance so you don’t get shutout. Seating for the hay rides is limited, and group sales are limited to 15 tickets.  The cost is $6 for Union County resident and $12 for out-of-county participants.

Hayrides and Campfires will also be held at Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside on three Fridays in October, the 2^nd, 9^th, and 16^th, also running from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. And on Sunday, October 4 at 3:30 p.m.

For further information you can call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900; or Trailside Nature and Science Center at 908-789-3670; or visit the Union County website atwww.ucnj.org.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh and Freeholders Sergio Granados, Bette Jane Kowalski and Angel G. Estrada present a resolution to Children’s Lightning Wheels Coaches Julia Goerlich, Paul Kolterjahn and Trisha Yurochko and athlete Caitlin Goerlich congratulating the Children’s Specialized Hospital team on their efforts at the Nation Junior Disabilities Championships that were held in Union County Parks in July.

The National Junior Disability Championships offers competitions in Olympic-style events including archery, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis, and track and field.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces free child safety seat inspection opportunities as new State law takes effect.

“If you have a baby or small child in your care, please come and take advantage of this free program, and make sure your safety seat is properly adjusted,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Our experts can help you get familiar with a new seat, and they can help you spot any problems with an older seat.”

New Jersey’s new child safety seat regulations take effect today, September 1, 2015. The new State law requires parents to adhere to American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations for child passenger safety. 

The proper use of child safety seats is one of the simplest and most effective methods available for protecting the lives of young children in the event of a motor vehicle accident.

Union County’s popular Child Safety Seat Inspection Program is open every Wednesday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. and is located at the Garwood Rescue Squad at 401 2^nd Avenue in Garwood.

On Saturday, September 19, as part of “National Seat Check Saturday” which is also the last day of “National Child Passenger Safety Week,” trained technicians from Union County’s Child Safety Seat Inspection Program will conduct child seat inspections at the Babies ‘R’ Us on Rt. 22 in Union, sponsored in part by AAA Northeast – NJ Division.

Certified child passenger safety technicians will check the car seat for proper installation and educate parents and guardians on using the seat correctly.

Under the new child passenger safety law:

• Children under age 2 and weighting less than 30 pounds must be secured in a rear-facing child safety seat that is equipped with five-point harness.
• Children between ages 2-4 and weighing up to 40 pounds must be secured in a child safety seat equipped with a five-point harness, either rear-facing (up to the height and weight limits of the seat) or forward –facing.
• Children between ages 4-8 and less than 57 inches tall (4’9”) must be secured in a forward-facing seat equipped with a five-point harness (up to the height and weight limits of the seat) or in a booster seat.
• Children ages 8 and older must use the vehicle seat belt. The safest place for children under 13 is the back seat.

Union County first launched the Child Safety Seat Inspection Program in 1999, in response to surveys showing that the overwhelming majority of child safety seats are improperly installed, even though most users are confident that they know the correct procedure.

Since 1999, approximately 50,000 Union County residents and visitors have used the Seat Inspection Program. It is staffed by personnel from the County’s Department of Public Safety, who are certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and by the organization SafeKids. The program is credited with saving at least one life, when a toddler survived a 2008 vehicle rollover shortly after the seat was properly adjusted by County personnel.

The child seat inspection program is provided as a public service by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Union County Police Department, New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, AAA Northeast – NJ Division, and the Garwood First Aid Squad.

For more information about Union County’s Child Safety Seat Inspection Program visit ucnj.org/child-safety-seats or call 908-789-6830.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders are happy to announce that tickets are now on sale for the Autumn Hayrides and Family Fun Around the Campfire.

The first event will take place on Friday, September 18, at Warinanco Park in the Boat House area. Hayrides beginning at 6:30 pm and run until 9:30 p.m.  Hayrides will include folks songs around the campfire, hot chocolate and marshmallows toasted over the fire.  Tickets must be purchased in advanced. There will be no tickets available at the event.

“We are pleased to add Warinanco Park as a site for this year’s Hayride and Family Around the Campfire experience,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh.  “This will help us kick off the fall season in our parks with fun for the entire family.”

Hayride tickets are available at three locations:

• Weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Union County Administration Building, Department of Parks and Recreation, 2nd Floor, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth
• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 8:30p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday
• Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence road, in Mountainside every day from noon to 5 p.m.

No tickets will be sold at the hayrides. So, please purchase your tickets in advance so you don’t get shutout. Seating for the hay rides is limited, and group sales are limited to 15 tickets.  The cost is $6 for Union County resident and $12 for out-of-county participants.

Hayrides and Campfires will also be held at Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside on three Fridays in October, the 2^nd, 9^th, and 16^th, also running from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. And on Sunday, October 4 at 3:30 p.m.

For further information you can call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900; or Trailside Nature and Science Center at 908-789-3670; or visit the Union County website at www.ucnj.org.

 

Union County, NJ — As the population ages, the need for trained homecare providers continues to increase. For individuals who are interested in working in the homecare provider field, a comprehensive, state certified Home Health Aide training program is available this fall.

“This statewide training program is a great opportunity for Union County residents to establish their credentials and gain a foothold in a high-demand field,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh, “Helping older adults to stay in their homes and connected to their communities is a priority for the Freeholder Board, and a qualified workforce is needed to achieve that goal.”

Applicants must be Union County residents 18 years of age, U.S. citizens or otherwise qualified by their immigration status, and proficient in English. They must be able to perform tasks such as helping patients out of bed, giving bed baths, and aiding transfers for those with limited mobility.

Classes will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays during October, and concluding in early November, at Jewish Family Services, 655 Westfield Avenue in Elizabeth.

Upon completion of the training, students will have the knowledge and skills required by the New Jersey State Board of Nursing to become certified home health aides.    

The $75.00 registration fee includes the cost of the textbook and workbook. In addition, there is an $80.00 application fee payable to the New Jersey State Board of Nursing. A passport size photo is required to be attached to the application.

Attendance in the class is contingent upon a pre-training interview in September. Space is limited and applicants should arrange to schedule an interview now by calling Donna Farrell at the Union County Division on Aging and Disability Resource Connection, at 908-527-4858. 

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UNION, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the 2015 Teen Arts Touring Exhibit is on display from August 28^th through September 25^th at the Connect One Bank, located at 2003 Morris Avenue in Union.

The exhibit consists of 60 pieces of art selected from more than 650 visual art works shown at the 2015 Union County Teen Arts Festival held in March at Union County College in Cranford. The annual event is administered by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Department of Parks and Community Renewal.

“The artwork in this exhibit is exceptional. The fact that the artists are teenagers makes the show even more outstanding,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “I encourage everyone to get out and see this fun, lively exhibit as it goes on tour throughout Union County.”

For information about the Teen Arts program contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth 07202; telephone (908) 558-2550. NJ Relay service users should call 711 or email culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

Catch the 2015 Union County Teen Arts Festival in action on YouTube.   

2015 TEEN ARTS EXHIBIT

The exhibiting students are:                                   

Clark

Mother Seton RHS 

Waverly Banks

Gabriella Luna

 

Cranford

Cranford HS 

Sabrina Huwang

Kristen Orsini

Naomi Lee

Cranford Achievement Program

Kelly Ryan

Nathaniel Reyes

Hillside Avenue School 

Alec Duerr

Orange Avenue School

Jacqueline Smith

 

Elizabeth

Abraham Lincoln School:  Valentina Cardenas

Benedictine Academy:  Angelika Zarzecka

Benjamin Franklin School:  Alma Cardona

Christopher Columbus School:  Kandy Torres

Dr. Orlando Edreira:  Christopher Cruz

Duarte-Marti School:  Roque Bahian

EHS-Edison Academy:  Rommel Varela

EHS-Dwyer Academy:  Theocita Allen

EHS-Halsey Academy:  Roger Veloz

EHS-Lower Academy:  Allison Marcias

EHS-Upper Academy 

Evelyn Altamirano

Catarina DaSilva

EHS-Jefferson Academy 

Briana Calderine

Inorys Vila

Andrea Arias

Elmora School:  Susej Monroy

iPrep Academy:  Carlyani DelValle

Marquis de Lafayette School:  Angelica Bautista

Madison-Monroe School:  Valentina Henao

Nicholas M. Butler School:  Najiyah Ishmael

Nicholas S. LaCorte School:  Noely Solorzano

Ronald Reagan Academy:  Vanessa Herrera

T.C. Reilly School:  Maria Dilandro

Victor Mravlag School:  Alexandra Riascos

William F. Halloran School:  Sadie Vizcaino

Woodrow Wilson School:  Geraldine Castano

 

Hillside           

Walter O. Krumbiegel MS 

Vanessa Ejiofor

 

Kenilworth                  

David Brearley HS:

Derek Hernandez

Timothy Balke

Salvatore Gorka

 

 Linden            

Linden HS : Adrianna Rendon

McManus MS : Patrycja Komajda

Soehl MS : Fatimat Mahmoud

 

Mountainside              

Deerfield MS : Emily Berkow

 

New Providence                   

New Providence HS 

Rebecca Pappas

Catherine Sander

New Providence MS 

Liana Hawkins

 

Plainfield                     

Plainfield Academy of Arts 

Gelinis Cepeda

Sebastian Nunez

Jeremy Medina

Queen City Academy 

Yousra Belgaid

 

Roselle           

Abraham Clark HS 

Agape Deleon

Mireya Lopez

Grace Wilday Jr. HS 

Ria Bhattacharya

 

Scotch Plains               

Union County Vo-Tech 

Samra Shakeel

Dana Tokarzewski

Julie Kim

Hillcrest Academy 

Alina Alvarez

 

Springfield                

FM Gaudineer MS

Sadi Lowy

 

Summit                        

Oratory Preparatory

Giovanni Martinetti

Paul Moyer

 

Union               

Union HS 

Lucero Lopez

Lianna Cardoso

 

LINDEN, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for personal documents will be available on Thursday, September 17, at the Recycling Center in Linden.

“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 Sept. 17^th shredding event will take place at the Linden Recycling Center, located at 2 Donaldson Place in Linden. 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 next shredding event will take place Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Westfield Memorial Pool.

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 .

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Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh joined Linden Mayor Derek Armstead in picking their top five favorite ‘Art Outside the Box’ artist submissions that will be featured on traffic control boxes at three Linden intersections. In the coming days, we will open up online voting for you to pick your top three favorites. Learn more about the Chairman’s Initiative at https://ucnj.org/artoutsidethebox/.

 

Union County, NJ – Union County 4-H Clubs are gearing up for a new season, and Union County students in grades 1-12 are invited to join the fun. Along with favorites like Archery, Cooking and Lego Robotics, Union County 4-H also offers a new Technology Club and a new Community Service Club.

To sign up for a club, meet the club leaders and find out more about 4-H activities, plan to attend this year’s annual 4-H Open House, set for Friday September 18 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Union County Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East in Westfield.

“Our 4-H Clubs encourage young people to connect with their community, develop leadership and organizational skills, and have a great time learning more about their favorite topics,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “The Freeholder Board is proud to support 4-H and its guiding principles of thoughtfulness, community service and healthy living.”

Union County 4-H Clubs are run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, supported in part by the Freeholder Board. The clubs belong to a 100-year American tradition established by the U.S Department of Agriculture by an Act of Congress, originally meant to help rural communities connect with useful information about agriculture and family health.

Over the years, 4-H has kept pace with the shift to urban and suburban life, using popular activities to help youngsters to engage in civic affairs and develop related skills such as teamwork and public speaking.

In Union County, the current 4-H slate includes modern clubs like Anime, Lego Robotics, S.T.E.M. and Fashion Design. The program also offers traditional favorites such as horticulture, cooking and archery.

Students can also join a Variety Club and explore topics of their own creation. For older students, 4-H offers membership in the Community Service Club, which plans and conducts community service programs throughout Union County.

4-H Clubs are open to boys and girls.  A materials fee of $10.00 per club ($5.00 per additional club in the same family) is payable at the Open House. Individual clubs may also have materials fees.

For more information about the Open House and this year’s lineup of 4-H Clubs contact Union County 4-H Agent James Nichnadowicz at 908-654-9854 or jnichnadowicz@ucnj.org, or visit online at ucnj.org/rce.

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