Category: Public Info

The final Union County Summer Arts Festival concert for 2015 will take place   Wednesday evening, August 26, with the Sensational Soul Cruisers taking the stage at 7:30 p.m. The free concert series, presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, and sponsored by ConnectOne Bank will take place at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside.

The Sensational Soul Cruisers, featuring four vocalists, backed up by an 11-man horn group, pays tribute to classic performers from Otis Redding and the Drifters to Barry White and the Commodores. The group captures the essence of the Jersey Shore sound and its R&B roots.

Pack a picnic basket, bring lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy the music under the stars. Refreshments and snacks will also be available from vendors.

Once again, UC Get Fit Yoga in the Park, a Union County Freeholder initiative will be part of the Wednesday night pre-concert schedule, with House Yoga of Kenilworth presenting a free community class from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.  Bring a mat or beach towel and participate in healthy activities for the entire family before the music begins.

“This will be the final opportunity for music fans to come out and enjoy some great entertainment under the stars at Echo Lake Park,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Join us in saying good bye to summer with the great sounds of the Sensational Soul Cruisers”.

For rain information you can call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at (908) 558-4079 after 3:30 p.m. on the day of the concert or you can visit the Union County web site: www.ucnj.org.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh, Vice Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski visited the cast of Hairspray before their first performance at the Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) in Rahway. The Broadway musical is presented by the Vanguard Theatre Company and is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders through the 2015 Union County Advancing Community Theatre (UCACT) program.

The UCACT program – offered as part of the Chairman Jalloh’s Building a Community of the Arts initiatives – aims to support the creative life of Union County by sponsoring enriching community theatre experiences that promote economic and social well-being.

The next performances of Hairspray will be Friday and Saturday, August 21 and 22 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, August 23 at 3 p.m. at the UCPAC.

For tickets or more information, visit www.ucpac.org or call 732-499-8226.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is reminding National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders who filed a claim as a result of Hurricane Sandy that there are four weeks remaining to request a review if they believe their claims were underpaid for any reason. FEMA set a Sept. 15, 2015 deadline for policyholders to request a review.

FEMA sent letters to approximately 142,000 NFIP policyholders who filed claims resulting from Hurricane Sandy, offering them an opportunity to have their files reviewed. To date, more than 10,000 policyholders have entered the process. Additional payments will be made to policyholders when warranted.  To be eligible for the review, policyholders must have experienced flood damage between Oct. 27, 2012 and Nov. 6, 2012 as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Policyholders can call the NFIP’s Hurricane Sandy claims center at 866-337-4262 to request a review.

Alternately, policyholders can go online to www.fema.gov/hurricane-sandy-nfip-claims to download a form requesting a review. The downloaded form may be filled out and emailed to FEMA-sandyclaimsreview@fema.dhs.gov to start the review process. 

For individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and use 711 or VRS, please call 866-337-4262 to facilitate the filing of their claim review.  For individuals using a TTY, please call 800-462-7585 to begin the review process. 

Before contacting the claims center, policyholders are asked to have the policyholder’s name, their flood insurance carrier name, policy number that was in effect at the time of the loss, and the address of the damaged property.  For security purposes, you will be asked to provide some information to verify your identity.  Policyholders will be asked a series of questions to determine whether they qualify for review. Once qualified, they will be called by an adjuster to begin the review. The timing of this call may be affected by the volume of requests for review. Most reviews can be concluded within 90 days.

Files will be assigned to an NFIP-certified adjuster who will review the claim file. Adjusters will contact policyholders to guide them through the review process. Policyholders who have already requested their review can call 866-337-4262 if they have questions or need more information.

Establishing this review is just one step in the plan to ensure that the NFIP is customer-focused and helps policyholders recover from flooding in a fair, transparent and expeditious way. The Sandy claims review process is intended to be simple for the policyholder and does not require paid legal assistance. Additionally, there are several nonprofit service providers ready to offer free advice and answer questions policyholders may have. A list of these advocacy groups can be found on the claims review website at www.fema.gov/advocacy-groups-and-services-referral-list.

If you have any questions, please contact FEMA’s Intergovernmental Affairs Division at (202) 646-3444 or at FEMA-IGA@fema.dhs.gov.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only.  FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications. 

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Union County – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announced that the 2015 Union County Advancing Community Theater (UCACT) Season will continue at the Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) this month with Hairspray and Legally Blonde Jr.

Both groundbreaking musicals were chosen as part of the first ever UCACT Program that to date has co-produced Rent, Dreamgirls, and the original work- Mandela: Apartheid to Die For.

Presented by Vanguard Theater Company Hairspray is a family-friendly musical piled bouffant high with laughter, romance, and deliriously tuneful songs. It is the winner of 8 TONY Awards including Best Musical. The show runs at the Mainstage at the UCPAC August 21^st and 22^nd at 8:00 p.m., August 23^rd at 3:00 p.m.; and will feature a special performance on August 19^th at 12:00 p.m. for children, and summer camps at a discounted rate.

Also running on the same dates is Legally Blonde, Jr., presented by The Theater Project Jr. at Hamilton Stage. The show is based on the film of the same name. This version is adapted for a younger audience. The award winning musical follows Elle Wood’s transformation as she learns about snobbery and stereotypes, and eventually finds her true self. The show runs on August 21^st and 22^nd at 8:00 p.m. and August 23^rd at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets for both performances are available now and can be purchased online at ucpac.org or through the UCPAC Box Office at 732-499-8226. Tickets for Hairspray are $15 for adults and $10 for children and senior citizens. Tickets for Legally Blonde, Jr. are priced at $12 across the board.

UCACT grants funding to cover the hard costs associated with putting up at production at the Union County Performing Arts Center. Through creative partnership and a holistic approach, the program creates a successful business model for Community Theater, allowing them to provide quality performances while also thriving financially.

For more information on UCACT, please contact Victoria Durbin Drake, Chief of Staff, Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, at 908-558-2278 or visit ucnj.org/ucact.

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On Saturday, Freeholder Linda Carter attended Plainfield’s “Hooked on Fish, Not on Drugs” fishing event.  There were a ton of children who came out to enjoy the fishing festivities. Children were instructed on bait and fishing techniques.

Union County, NJ  –  Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi reminds County residents that a new state law has changed the number of vote-by-mail ballots that an individual can transmit to voters, and the number of completed ballots that an individual can bring to the Board of Elections.

“The new law sets a limit of three on the number of ballots that one individual can transmit to voters, and bring to the Board of Elections,” said Rajoppi. “This is the first election cycle with the new three-ballot limit in place, so please keep that information in mind if you are planning to be a ballot messenger or bearer.”

Previous state law enabled one “ballot messenger” to transmit as many as 10 blank ballots to voters, and it enabled one “ballot bearer” to bring an unlimited number of completed ballots to the Board of Elections.

The new requirements are defined in bill number S-685/A-4306, signed into law by Governor Christie on Monday, August 10.

For information on vote-by-mail in Union County, and to download the free Union County Votes mobile app, visit the County Clerk online at ucnj.org/county-clerk or call 908-527-4996.

Freeholder Alexander Mirabella joined Roselle Park Mayor Carl Hokanson, Fifth Ward Councilman Richard Templeton, Second Ward Councilman Joseph Petrosky, Councilwoman At Large Charlene Komar Storey, Councilman Eugene Meola and Councilman M. Gino Elmarassy at Roselle Park’s first annual Italian Festival.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to invite residents to participate in the 2015 “Choose Your Cover” program to help reduce the risk of skin cancer this Saturday, August 15.

To promote sun safety and the early detection of skin cancer, this summer the Chronic Disease Coalition of Middlesex and Union Counties is providing free skin cancer screenings along with their “Choose Your Cover” message of prevention.

In Union County, the “Choose Your Cover” event will take place at the Gran Centurions Pool, 440 Madison Hill Road, Clark, on Saturday, August 15, 2015 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The first 20 attendees will receive a special gift bag with skin cancer promotional materials. All attendees will also qualify to enter a drawing for a gift basket courtesy of Clark Township Health Department.

“Summer is a great time to be outdoors enjoying our parks, playgrounds and pools. This program is important to help remind all residents to take precautions to prevent overexposure to the sun,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “I’d like to thank the Chronic Disease Coalition and the Township of Clark for raising public awareness about reducing skin cancer risks.”

Before you head outdoors this summer, representatives from the Chronic Disease Coalition of Middlesex and Union Counties urge you to take sun safe precautions to protect your skin from the damaging rays of the sun.

People who work or play outdoors, fair skinned people who sunburn easily, and those with a family history of melanoma are at an increased risk of developing skin cancer – the most common form of cancer in the United States.

Overexposure to the sun’s UV rays is one of the most preventable risk factors for melanoma and all types of skin cancer. This is why it is so important to ‘choose your cover’ and reduce your risk accordingly.

Covering up your skin with long sleeve shirts and long pants in tightly woven fabrics can offer a great means of protection for your skin. Opt for a wide-brimmed hat over a baseball cap for better protection of your head, ears and neck, and wear sunglasses with 100 percent UVA and UVB absorption to protect the eyes from sun damage.

Look for shady areas or avoid the sun, if possible, during the middle of the day when UV rays are the strongest. Remember to liberally apply a broad spectrum sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher and reapply frequently, and steer clear of indoor tanning beds which are proven to increase your risk for skin cancer.

For more information about “Choose Your Cover” 2015, please call the Union County Office of Health Management at 908-518-5620.

The roaring twenties are set to come alive this September at UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage in a Gatsby-esque production of Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party, presented by Fearless Hearts and Fearless Productions through the Union County Advancing Community Theater (UCACT) Program.

A steamy prohibition tale steamrolling and roaring its way across the stage, Andrew Lippa’s Wild Party was an off-broadway gem that garnered an array of industry accolades, including Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Obie awards. Based on Joseph Moncure March’s 1928 narrative poem of the same name, the darkly brilliant show features one of the most exciting, pulse-racing scores ever written.

A take on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the show paints a vivid picture of a decadent and deadly all-night party in late 1920s Manhattan, just a year before the Crash of 1929, when nearly everything in America would collapse.

It’s the story of a desperately damaged relationship between vaudeville dancer Queenie and vaudeville clown Burrs, two vicious, reckless people, whose lives are spiraling downward fast, filled to the brim with meaningless sex, drugs, drinking, jealousies, and casual betrayals.

The show runs at the UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage September 11th-12th, 18th-19th at 8:00 p.m., September 20th at 3:00 p.m., September 26th at 8:00 p.m. and September 27th at 3:00 p.m.

Tickets are available now and can be purchased online at ucpac.org or through the UCPAC Box Office at 732-499-8226. Seating is general admission and tickets are priced at $20.

The UCACT program grants funding to cover the hard costs associated with putting up at production at the Union County Performing Arts Center. Through creative partnership and a holistic approach, the program creates a successful business model for Community Theater, allowing them to provide quality performances while also thriving financially.

For more information on UCACT, please contact Victoria Durbin Drake, Chief of Staff, Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, at 908-558-2278 or visit ucnj.org/ucact.

Union County, NJ  – Due to overwhelming demand, Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi has scheduled a another special training session for persons who are interested in becoming a Notary Public, as well as Notaries who would like to hone and update their skills. The new session will be held on Friday, September 25, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Public Meeting Room at the County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, in Elizabeth. Coffee and a light breakfast will be served.

Attendance is by pre-registration only, with a nominal registration fee of $5.00. Attendance is limited to the first 75 persons to register by Friday, September 18.

“Notaries Public occupy a position of trust and integrity in our community, and this training session will help you engage in your duties as an impartial office of the State of New Jersey,” said Rajoppi. “I encourage you to attend.”

The two-hour session will begin with opening remarks and a review of the application process by Rajoppi. Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, who is a partner at the law firm of Krevsky, Silber & Bergen, will present the legal aspects of the functions of notaries public.

“When we held our first training session earlier this year, the demand far outstripped our capacity. It was a clear demonstration that County residents value this opportunity to learn and grow professionally, and I would like to thank Vice Chairman Bergen in advance for helping to make this additional session possible,” said Rajoppi.

Registration forms are available online at ucnj.org/county-clerk/new-jersey-notary-training. To register, send the form and a check of $5.00 payable to “Union County Clerk” to:

Office of the Union County Clerk

2 Broad Street, Room 115

Elizabeth, New Jersey 07207

For more information, or to obtain a registration form by mail, contact Donna Connell at the County Clerk’s office by Friday, September 18, at 908-527-4999 or dconnell@ucnj.org. Inquiries are also accepted by fax at 908-558-2589.

Details on all Union County Clerk programs and services are available online at ucnj.org/county-clerk.

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