Category: Public Info

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to offer a program, “Cooking with Wild Edibles,” for adults, ages 18 and older, at Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside on Saturday, October 12, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. The fee for this program is $15 for Union County residents and $20 for out-of-county participants.

“This is a delicious way to learn about the wealth of food we commonly call weeds, which can be found readily in our own backyard,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “You’ll never again look at a weed the same way.”

Participants in the “Cooking with Wild Edibles” class will enjoy learning to identify some common plants of the Watchung Reservation. Trailside senior park naturalist Joe Filo will teach participants how to collect, prepare and cook these familiar backyard plants. Enjoy a sampling of delicious foods including acorn bread and sassafras tea. Take home some recipes utilizing plants familiar to all of us.

For additional information about this lecture or other adult programs or upcoming events at Trailside, call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside Nature and Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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ELIZABETH, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi reminds county residents to apply for their passports as soon as possible to avoid any complications that may disrupt their winter travel plans. Holiday travelers to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and countries in the Caribbean must have a valid passport to enter or depart from the United States.

“Because of the approaching holidays, there’s an increased demand for new documents from the federal passport agency. Don’t wait until the last minute to get your passport,” Rajoppi said. “Additionally, if your passport expires within six months of your planned visit, many countries will not permit you to enter. You will need to renew your passport.”

It can take four to six weeks for a regular passport application to be processed and returned to the customer. Even the more expensive expedited delivery option can take three weeks for delivery.

Passport application forms may be obtained at the County Clerk’s main office in the Union County Courthouse at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth or at the County Clerk’s office annex at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield. Applications for passports and related information also can be found online at https://ucnj.org/Passports.

“No appointment is necessary. Our Elizabeth office opens at 7:30 a.m. and it has experienced, helpful, English and Spanish-speaking staff ready to assist you in any way we can,” Rajoppi said. “Our Westfield office has convenient evening and Saturday hours and also is fully staffed.”

The Westfield Annex is the only County Clerk’s office in the state that is open during evening hours. The Westfield Annex is open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The phone number at the Westfield Annex is 908-654-9859.

The Elizabeth office is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number in Elizabeth is 908-527-4966. Clients are asked to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to closing time to allow for staff assistance with the passport process.

For more information about obtaining a U.S. passport, please call (908) 527-4966.

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MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce a program, “Learning the Basics of Gardening,” a two-part workshop for adults, ages 18 and older, at Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside. The sessions will be held on two Saturdays, October 5 and 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with park naturalist and gardener Ruth Yablonsky. The fee for this two-part program is $20 for Union County residents and $24 for out-of-county participants.

“This workshop will give you all the basics for starting your garden,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “What better place to learn gardening than in Union County’s beautiful Watchung Reservation, right at the Trailside doorstep.”

On Oct. 5, you’ll discover the difference between annuals and perennials and learn how to choose and prepare a site for your garden. Participants also learn what kind of tools and supplies are needed, and how to make compost, critter-proof a garden and create raised beds.

In the second session on Oct. 19, participants will focus on where and how much to plant, weeding techniques and the various chemical options that exist to help maintain a garden. Other topics in this session include: bugs as friends and foes; planting and placement; and how to choose between seeds vs. seedlings.

Pre-registration for “Learning the Basics Gardening” is required. Space is limited. Walk-ins are welcome if space permits. This two-part series offers teachers and master gardeners a chance to earn five Continuing Professional Education Credits. Participants should bring lunch.

For additional information about this lecture or other adult programs and upcoming events at Trailside, call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside Nature and Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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Union County –Spaces are still available for The Affordable Care Act and its Impact on Business a new Union County Means Business program. The event will take place on October 1st from 8:00-10:00 a.m. at Overlook Medical Center in Summit, and will address the questions and concerns with regards to theAffordable Care Act.

“This panel discussion will assemble industry professionals to tackle tough questions and look at the Affordable Care Act from the perspective of small businesses owners,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “With new healthcare exchanges opening for enrollment on October 1st, this Union County Means Business Session is particularly timely.”

Panelists taking part in the program include Christine Stearns Vice President of Health Affairs of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, Al Titone, Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Newark district office, and Alan Lieber Vice President, Atlantic Health System and President, Overlook Medical Center.

The UCMB series is open to all interested parties, specifically people who own or manage a business in Union County, or who are planning to start a business in Union County. It is designed to bring local business owners, prospective owners and managers in contact with government representatives who can help them obtain information about grants, loans, social media, employee recruitment, and other resources pertinent to their endeavors.

All sessions are free but pre-registration is required by visiting the Union County website athttps://ucnj.org/UCMeansBusinessor call 908-527-4200.

UCMB Programs are sponsored by the Board of Chosen Freeholders in partnership with the Union County Alliance, Union County Economic Development Corp., Greater Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce, Suburban Chambers of Commerce, Union Township Chamber of Commerce, Kean University, and Union County College. The Affordable Care Act and its Impact on Business is being cosponsored by Overlook Medical Center.

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(From left) Union County Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski, Vernell Wright and Bruce Bergen listen as Union County Undersheriff Vincent DeTrolio, a Vietnam Veteran, speaks during Union County’s annual remembrance ceremony honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action (POW/MIA) outside the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed each year on the third Friday of September. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County, NJ – The Board of Chosen Freeholders would like to remind residents about the ongoing prescription drug discount program designed to help reduce prescription drug costs. The program operates through the use of a discount card that was mailed to Union County households in late June.

The discount program may help reduce prescription drug costs for residents who do not have a prescription drug plan and for residents who take prescription medicine that is not covered by their current insurance. For senior citizens, the program can help defray costs related to the Medicare prescription coverage gap in which Medicare recipients are required to pay 100 percent of their prescription drug costs.

There are no enrollment forms to fill out, no membership fees, and no age or income requirements. There is no cost to Union County or participating residents. The cards are completely anonymous and one card can be used by an entire family.

Participants simply present the card when they are filling a prescription and they will automatically receive savings. The discount program covers all prescription medications, brand or generic. The program even covers prescription pet medications that can be filled at a regular retail pharmacy.

On average, participants can expect to save 10 to 20 percent on brand drugs and 20 to 70 percent on generic drugs. The prescription discount card can be used at any participating pharmacy in Union County and at over 55,000 pharmacies nationwide.

The cards cannot be used in conjunction with any other type of insurance, to reduce co-pays or with other discount programs.

For more information on the program contact Union County’s Department of Human Services at 908-527-4808. Additional cards are available at County offices and online at https://ucnj.org/prescription/.

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Union County – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders recently announced that the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) Board of Trustees has approved $396,000 to replace antiquated traffic signal equipment and other safety improvements at three intersections on Vauxhall Road (CR 630) in Union Township.

“This stretch of Vauxhall Road carries a steady flow of commuter traffic through a residential neighborhood, where it mixes with pedestrians waiting to pick up the bus and walking to school,” said Union County Freeholder and NJTPA Board member Angel Estrada.

The project will target existing signalized intersections at Vauxhall Road and Caldwell Avenue, Glenn Avenue and Barbara Avenue/Pine Avenue where crash rates exceed state averages. Long-time Vauxhall resident and Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright acknowledged the existing dangers here and said, “these upgrades will help protect the road’s most vulnerable users – pedestrians and bicycle riders – while providing clearer guidance to motorists.”

The project was one of 11 in the region approved for a grant through the NJTPA’s Fiscal Year 2014 Local Safety Program, which provides federal funds to counties and cities for high-impact safety improvements that are relatively “quick-fix” in nature and ready for construction.

The improvements for Vauxhall Rd., which were determined as a result of the a 2008 safety study presented to the NJTPA, will include new traffic lights, signs, high visibility crosswalks, push button-activated pedestrian countdown signals, restriping and new pavement markings and the replacement of non-Americans with Disabilities Act compliant sidewalk ramps.

“We feel blessed to have been approved for a Safety Grant this fiscal year. This project will contribute much needed improvements and modernizations to our community, and for that we are extremely grateful,” said Union Mayor Clifton People Jr.

In total, the NJTPA action allocated approximately $9.7 million for Local Safety Program projects in FY 2014, which represents the largest investment since the program’s inception in 2004. The NTJPA Board approved the funding at its regular meeting on Tuesday.

Committeewoman Suzette Cavadas commented on the grant saying, “Nothing makes us happier than knowing that our community is being taken care of and that the township is continuing to evolve and progress. This grant is another positive step in the right direction for Union.”

The NJTPA is the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for 13 northern New Jersey Counties. Under federal legislation, MPOs provide a forum where local officials, public transportation providers and state agency representatives can come together and cooperatively plan to meet the region’s current and future transportation needs. It establishes the region’s eligibility to receive federal tax dollars for transportation projects.

The NJTPA Board consists of one local elected official from each of the 13 counties in the region (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren), and the cities of Newark and Jersey City. The Board also includes a Governor’s Representative, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the Executive Directors of NJ Transit and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and a Citizen’s Representative appointed by the Governor.

More information on these programs is available on the agency’s website, www.njtpa.org.

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Enjoy the Music of Jeff Lloyd & the Cadillac Cowboys and Learn to Square Dance

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Community Renewal are pleased to offer people living with disabilities, their families and friends an afternoon hoe-down on Sunday, October 6, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Masker’s Barn in Berkeley Heights. The party will include music, dancing, refreshments and hayrides in the woods and fields of the Watchung Reservation.

“This is an event you, your family and friends won’t want to miss,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “It’s a great way for everybody to get outdoors, enjoy the renovated Masker’s Barn, play games, dance and meet some new friends.”

Put on your cowboy boots and hat and get ready for fun as Jeff Lloyd and the Cadillac Cowboys perform classic country music and a square dance caller teaches you the basic square dance steps. Take a break from dancing and hop on a hay wagon to enjoy a beautiful autumn afternoon hay ride in the Watchung Reservation. Then grab a plate and enjoy snacks and refreshments back at the barn, a prominent structure in the Deserted Village of Feltville/Glenside Park.

The deadline to register for the barn dance is Monday, September 30. The fee is $10 per person. To register for the October 6 barn dance and for additional information about this event or other upcoming programs and special activities, please call 908-527-4096 or visit us on the web at www.ucnj.org.

Masker’s Barn and the Deserted Village of Feltville/Glenside Park are located on Cataract Hollow Road, off Glenside Avenue in Berkeley Heights. These facilities are services of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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TRAILSIDE HAY RIDES & CAMP FIRE FUN – Tickets are on sale for autumn hay rides and fun around the campfire at Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside. These fun-filled family activities include hay rides, folk songs, hot chocolate and marshmallows toasted over the camp fire. Hay ride tickets are available at Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence Road, in Mountainside; the Union County Administration Building, Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth; or at the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East, in Westfield. Tickets for these popular outings must be purchased in advance – so don’t wait until it’s too late! The cost is $6 for Union County residents and $12 for out-of-county participants for rides on the Friday evenings of Sept. 20; Oct. 4, 11, 18; and on Sunday, Oct. 13. For more information, call Trailside Nature and Science Center at 908-789-3670; or the Union County Department of Parks & Community Renewal at 908-527-4900; or visit the Union County website at www.ucnj.org.

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Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter and Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski congratulate volunteers on hosting a successful Back To School Community Fair at St. John’s Baptist Church in Scotch Plains. The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders donated pens, pencils, and backpacks for the event.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)