Category: Public Info

The forecast for Monday, January 12 calls for rain, freezing rain and sleet. It will be both unsafe and unproductive to send hunters into the woods. Therefore, the Union County Deer Management Program is postponed to Wednesday, January 14.

More information about the deer management program can be found by clicking here.

“Art from the HEART” Exhibit at Freeholders Gallery

ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of artworks from the “Art from the HEART” fine arts program. The exhibition is a partnership between The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey and Sage Eldercare in Summit, NJ. The Freeholders Gallery is located on the 6^th floor of the Union County Administration Building, Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth. Gallery hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays. The exhibit will run through Monday, February 2.

“Art from the HEART” is in its fourteenth year. Led by art therapist Rita Kennelly, the program encourages self-expression, increases self-esteem and helps keep participants’ minds sharp by recapturing the joy of creativity. The “Art from the HEART” program is made possible in part by a HEART Grant (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Additional funding is provided by the Summit Area Public Foundation. 

The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is the state’s largest institution dedicated exclusively to viewing, making and learning about contemporary art, comprising a renowned studio art school and a thriving education, exhibition and programming schedule. Its service mission includes a commitment to creating access to the arts for a range of constituents, from at-risk children and youth to people with special needs and senior adults. To learn more about Visual Arts Center programs, visit www.artcenternj.org or call 908-273-9121.

SAGE Eldercare supports the independence, well-being and quality of life of older adults, their families and caregivers, through the provision of client-centered health, social and support services. SAGE is proud to offer a wide range of programs and services that support seniors in the challenges they face during the later stages of life. For more information, visit www.sageeldercare.org or call 908-273-5550.

For further information and to learn more about exhibiting at the Freeholders Gallery, please contact the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202; telephone, 908-558-2550; or email culturalinfo@ucnj.org. NJ Relay users may dial 711.

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Union County, NJ – Season by season, Union County offers many unique and unusual opportunities for relaxation, enrichment, and just plain fun.

“If the winter winds chase you indoors this weekend, you can come inside and enjoy a great show at the Union County Performing Arts Center, or spend the afternoon at our Trailside Nature & Science Center,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Whatever your age or ability, the Freeholder Board is proud to support recreation programs for all to enjoy.”

The Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) makes its home in the County’s historic Rahway Theatre, conveniently located in the heart of the historic Rahway Arts District.

Among the offerings this weekend, UCPAC is pleased to present DINOSAURS, a rollicking puppet show that kicks off the 2015 Sensory Friendly Theatre series supported by the Freeholder Board.

The Trailside Nature & Science Center is located in the sprawling Watchung Reservation, at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside. Admission is free every day, seven days a week, and Trailside offers a full slate of affordable programs for all ages.

For a list of indoor and outdoor winter activities supported by Union County, visit “52 Great Things to Do in Union County This Year” at ucnj.org.

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Please join the County of Union online at ucnj.org, on Facebook at ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter at twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce “Donate to Educate,” a new countywide community service campaign developed entirely by a group of high school students representing all parts of Union County.

The 21 students in the group came together as participants in the second annual Union County Student Training and Enrichment Program (UC STEP) for high school students, held last December.

“UC-STEP is designed to provide our future leaders with a chance to collaborate and engage the entire Union County community in pursuit of leadership skills, personal growth and civic engagement,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed Jalloh. “On behalf of the Freeholder Board I’d like to thank all 192 students who participated enthusiastically in the second annual UC STEP summit.”

As a highlight of each UC STEP summit, groups of participants develop proposals for a countywide civic engagement project. The winning project is selected by popular vote on the UC STEP website, ucnj2.org/uc-step. The students then work with the Freeholder Board and other community organizations to plan, implement, and publicize the campaign.

Of the more than 3,200 votes tallied, the Light Blue team received the most. The team’s “Donate to Educate” campaign will kick off in the coming months. Donate to Educate will enlist schools all over Union County to serve as collection points for school supplies to help students in need.

UC STEP is a youth development program initiated by Freeholder Linda Carter during her term as Chairman in 2013. The program is designed to bring students together from all walks of life, and provide them with an opportunity to work with the Freeholder Board to enlist their fellow Union County residents in a common goal.

“The students involved in the first UC STEP campaign, Support 4 Soldiers, did a great job of enabling Union County residents to connect with members of the military who are serving overseas,” said Jalloh. “The Freeholder Board looks forward to helping ensure a successful campaign for Donate to Educate, too.”

Details on how to contribute to Donate to Educate will be available soon.

For more information about UC-STEP, and to view a video explaining the Donate to Educate campaign, visit ucnj2.org/uc-step or call the Union County Department of Economic Development, 908-527-4103.

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Please join the County of Union online at ucnj.org, on Facebook at ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter at twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

Information in this press release may have expired.  Please contact your local municipality for updated information.

With freezing temperatures in Union County for a fifth day, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders reminds residents that the Code Blue program is still in effect, and help is available for those without a warm place to stay. 

The Code Blue program is designed to coordinate municipal and County resources, to help homeless persons find a place at an organized shelter or warming center.  If you happen to witness anyone unattended to or sleeping outdoors, please contact your local police department, which will assist them with transportation. 

The following municipalities have notified the County that warming centers are available:

Elizabeth

January 8, 2015

Second Macedonia Baptist Church
1251 Fairmount Avenue
After 4pm

Elizabeth Police Department
After 4 pm

Linden

Union County – Union County’s Sensory Friendly Theatre series kicks off the New Year with the prehistoric adventures of DINOSAURS at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway this Sunday, January 11 at 2:00 p.m.

All tickets are $8 per person and can be purchased through the Union County Performing Arts Center at ucpac.org or by calling the Box Office at 732-499-8226.

“Designed to help families with sensory, social, and learning disabilities to experience the performing arts in a safe, judgment-free environment, the Freeholder Board is proud to continue supporting this series,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “This performance series enhances the County’s vision that the arts should be accessible to everyone.”

Bring your family this weekend to hang out with Stegosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex as Jim West brings the age of the dinosaurs to life! Enjoy prehistory as he mixes storytelling with the latest dinosaur discoveries, dino-puppet making ideas and a rich musical score of Mozart, Beethoven, Mahler, Stravinsky and Prokofiev.

Dinosaurs get the puppet treatment in this engaging kid performance. The larger-than-life puppets take little ones on a prehistoric journey with the help of some catchy tunes and a surprising plot.

Before our eyes, a box turns into a Tyrannosaurus, cardboard becomes a Brachiosaurus, and newspaper transforms into an Apatosaurus. Join us in a romp through the dinosaur ages, and go on a journey to find out just exactly how old everything is!

Implementing the supportive atmosphere is the organization Autism Friendly Spaces, which provides specialists to train staff and volunteers on working with children with autism and other special needs during Sensory Friendly Theatre performances, while providing comfort and help to families.

For each of the special performances in the Sensory Friendly Theatre series, the theatre environment at the Performing Arts Center will be adjusted to provide a sensory-friendly, comfortable and judgment-free space that is welcoming for all families. For more information on what to expect at a Sensory Friendly Theatre performance visit ucpac.org.

The Sensory Friendly Theatre series is supported by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, through the Kids Recreation Trust Fund. The performance of DINOSAURS is made possible in part by funding from the NJ Department of Community Affairs through a Recreational Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities Grant.

The next performance in the Sensory Friendly Theatre series is the thrilling family adventures of The Berenstain Bears in Family Matter, the Musical on Sunday, March 29 at 2:00 p.m.

For more information or to purchase tickets call the Union County Performing Arts Center, 732-499-8226 or visit ucpac.org. The UCPAC Box Office, located at 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ, is open Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and is also open late on Thursdays until 8:00 p.m.

For information on additional Union County recreational programs for people with disabilities age five and up, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4806 or visit ucnj.org.

Union County is in an extended four-day period of freezing temperatures, with dips occurring as low as 4 degrees. 

A Code Blue has been put into effect for the remainder of this time, which is intended to get any homeless off the street and into shelter. If you happen to witness anyone unattended to or sleeping outdoors, please contact your local police department in getting them to the appropriate shelter. 

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders also urge you to please take the appropriate precautions and drive safely. Report any issues on municipal roads to the respective municipality. If there are any issues on County roads, please call County Police at 908-654-9800.  

Also, to report downed power lines or outages, contact your utility company. PSE&G customers call 1-800-436-7734. JCP&L customers call 1-800-545-7738 or use the automated reporting line at 1-888-544-4877.  

For questions about your gas service, call Elizabethtown Gas at 800-492-4009.  

Please tell your friends and neighbors about First Alert, and stay informed by visiting the Union County Webpage at www.ucnj.org. Also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of photographs 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 “Inspired” is on display at the Pearl Street Gallery through March 27. 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 photographs.”

Agnieszka Solawa was born in Krakow, Poland, where she grew up surrounded by art. Her mother was an artist and her father was chief architect of the city of Krakow and a professor at the School of Architecture. Agnieszka’s family immigrated to South Africa to escape from communism. She earned a Diploma of Fine Art from the Pretoria and Cape Town Universities and a BA in Architecture from the University of Cape Town. 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 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, NJ; and “Seasons”, 3rd 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 and later as an architect at the Port Authority of NY & NJ. 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.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce the 2015 Union County Advancing Community Theatre (UCACT) grant program. As part of Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh’s “Investing in Union County” 2015 initiatives, the UCACT grant program aims to engage the creative life of our community through enriching community theatre experiences that promote economic and social well-being.

“Community theatre is a collaborative art with important economic, cultural, and social benefits,” said Freeholder Chairman Mohamed S. Jalloh. “Investment in community theatre is an investment in Union County.”

The UCACT grant program was created in response to the remarkable success of RENT at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway last November. The production was staged by the Linden-based community theatre organization Mystic Vision Players in partnership with the Union County Performing Arts Center, and sponsored by the Freeholder Board.

“The overwhelming audience response to the production is proof that community theatre has a place in Union County,” said Freeholder Chairman Jalloh.

The mission of the UCACT grant program is to support and encourage the performing arts in Union County.  Recognizing the importance of the arts in society, UCACT seeks to fund Union County-based community theater companies that contribute to the advancement or preservation of theater as an art form.

“Public support is crucial to ensuring accessibility of the arts to all people,” said Chairman Jalloh. “UCACT aims to provide a venue that draws people together to participate in collaborative community theatre experiences that enrich and engage the greater Union County community.”

The UCACT grant program seeks to assist the artistic community in the County of Union by providing support that will promote high quality theatre productions, encourage new programming, set a high bar for artistic challenges, and help make live theater more accessible to all.

The application deadline for the UCACT grant program is March 1, 2015. Early submissions will be evaluated upon receipt. Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered based on funding availability.

Grant applications can be downloaded online at ucnj.org/ucact. For additional information or to receive a grant application by mail contact Victoria Durbin Drake, chief of staff, Freeholder Board at 908-558-2278.

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