Category: Public Info

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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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 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)

Union County, NJ – Union County’s volunteer Trail Stewards are hikers, bird watchers, nature lovers, equestrians and just about anyone else who enjoys being outdoors and giving back to the community. You can join in the fun and camaraderie by coming to the Trail Steward/Adopt-a-Trail orientation meeting on Saturday October 31 at the Trailside Nature and Science Center, in the Watchung Reservation at 452 New Providence Road, Mountainside.

“Our Trail Stewards are highly valued members of the volunteer community who help preserve a beautiful, unique resource in our densely populated area,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “If you’re familiar with our rustic trails and bridle paths, you know how much damage they suffered last summer after a spate of storms, and volunteer help is needed now more than ever.”

Hiking trails are a popular feature in a number of Union County parks, such as Watchung, Lenape and Rahway River Parkway. Watchung also has miles of bridle paths associated with the County’s public Watchung Stable in Mountainside.

The orientation meeting begins with light refreshments and a special “beginner” session from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., only for persons interested in becoming a Trail Steward.

Participants are invited to stay for Sustainable Trails, a hands-on workshop immediately following the beginner session, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This event is also open to current Trail Stewards (current Trail Stewards are asked not to arrive before 10:30).

Among the topics, workshop participants will learn about the factors that help trails resist erosion, misuse and deterioration.

Sustainable Trails will be hosted by Ama Koenigshof, a noted trail restoration expert with the New York – New Jersey Trail Conference, who has worked on various trail projects in 14 different states.  She currently manages the Trail Conference’s Bear Mountain, Trail University and Conservation Corps programs, and acts as technical assistance to trail volunteers.

Union County Trail Stewards volunteer to “adopt” a section of trail for two years or more, as desired. They remove litter, do minor pruning, remove invasive vegetation, clear drainage pipes and re-mark trails when needed. 

Volunteers who can’t make a two-year commitment are welcome to join a Trail Work Day. These are one-day work parties conducted by the Union County Adopt-a-Trail program, generally held on the first Saturday morning of each month from March through December.

Pre-registration for the Orientation Meeting on October 31 is required, by contacting the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-789-3683 or bkelly@ucnj.org.

Weather permitting, part of the meeting may be conducted outdoors and participants are advised to dress accordingly.

For more information about Adopt-A-Trail and Trail Stewards visit ucnj.org/parks-recreation.

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(Trail Steward photos: Betty Ann Kelly/County of Union).

Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi reminds Union County voters that deadlines for the convenient Vote-By-Mail service are coming up in advance of the November 3 General and School Board elections.

The last day to apply by mail for a Vote-By-Mail ballot is Tuesday, October 27. After that, voters wishing to use Vote-By-Mail must apply in person at the County Clerk’s Main office in Elizabeth, or the Annex in Westfield. The last day to apply in person is Monday, November 2, before 3:00 p.m.

“Any registered voter in Union County can apply for and use a Vote-By-Mail ballot,” said Rajoppi. “I encourage you to use this increasingly popular service to ensure that your vote is counted and your voice is heard.”

To help make the Vote-By-Mail process as simple as possible, Rajoppi has introduced “One-Stop” service in the Westfield Annex and Elizabeth Main offices for those wishing to apply in person. Eligible voters can come to either office, apply for a Vote-By-Mail ballot, and cast it on the spot.

A new State law enacted in time for the General Election requires voters wishing to leave their voted ballot in the Clerk’s lock box to show identification which includes their name, address and signature. Bearers must return voted ballots directly to the Board of Elections. All Vote-By-Mail Ballots must be received by the Board of Elections by the close of the polls, 8:00 p.m, on Election Day to be counted.

Vote-By-Mail applications can also be picked up at any municipal clerk’s office, downloaded from the County Clerk’s website at ucnj.org/vote-by-mail, or requested through the new Union County Votes mobile app. To have an application mailed to you, call the County Clerk at 908-527-4996.

To assist voters, a video demonstrating how to fill out a Vote-By-Mail ballot is available on YouTube, titled “Union County Vote-By-Mail.”  It can also be accessed through the County Clerk’s website or the Union County Votes Ap.

The County Clerk’s Annex is located in the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East in Westfield. It features extended hours and Saturday hours: 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays. 

The Main office is located at the Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

As an additional service to voters, the Main office in Elizabeth will be open on Saturday, October 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to assist voters wishing to Vote-By-Mail.

For more information on election services offered by the County Clerk, visit online at ucnj.org/county-clerk or call 908-527-4996.

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Union County Freeholder Sergio Granados and more than 30 representatives from Univision, Coors Light and the NY Giant conducted a mass cleanup of Mattano Park in Elizabeth today. Former Giants players Chris Snee and Shaun O’Hara joined in to assist in the cleanup effort on behalf of their NFL football organization. This is the second year in a row that Granados, the Freeholder Parks Liaison, has coordinated a cleanup through the NFL football Giants, Coors and Univision. Last November, a similar cleanup was conducted at Union County’s Warinanco Park in Roselle and Elizabeth.

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.

If archaeology is your thing, then find your way to the Deserted Village of Feltville.

As part of Union County’s Four Centuries in a Weekend Celebration, the Archeological Society of New Jersey will hold a special meeting at Masker’s Barn on Saturday, Oct. 17.   The barn, which is part of the Deserted Village, is in the Watchung Reservation.

On Sunday, Oct. 18, visitors are welcome to meet and talk to one of New Jersey’s preeminent archaeologists, Dr. Richard Veit of Monmouth University. He will be at the site of David Felt’s house, which was excavated by Montclair State University. Veit is also known for his books chronicling his search for Revolutionary War period cemeteries.

The Saturday presentations at the barn, which are open to the public, will include:

“Revisiting the Turkey Swamp Site.” Sean McHugh and Evan Mydlowski, from Monmouth University, will discuss their findings from 1:15 – 1:45 p.m.

“An Enigmatic Prehistoric Archaic Manifestation on the NJ Coastal Plain,” by Jack Cresson, follows at 1:45pm and runs until 2:15 p.m.

“The Snyder Paleoindian Complex, Carpentersville, New Jersey,” is the third and final presentation and will be delivered by Jennifer C. Rankin, from Temple University and R. Michael Stewart, also from the University and with the NJ Historic Preservation Office. That presentation will run from 2:45p.m. to 3:15p.m.

There will also be a “dig” for children to learn the basics of archaeology, which runs Saturday and Sunday. 

“Archaeology is just part of the fun,” said Union County Freeholder Sergio Granados. “With all the activities planned at the Deserted Village, not to mention the opportunity to spend some time in one of the state’s most beautiful reservations, it is a must visit.”

Other activities at the Deserted Village will include Hayrides, Tours, Quill and ink pen writing for children, apple cider pressing, old-fashioned children’s games, pumpkin painting and a guided tour by ghost of David Felt.

To find the Deserted Village, set the GPS to Cataract Hollow Road, Berkeley Heights, NJ. For more information, go to ucnj.org/4C or ucnj.org/dv.