Category: Public Info

County Clerk’s Westfield Office Hosts Passport Fair,
Offers 50-Percent Discount on Passport Photos

WESTFIELD, NJ – The Union County Clerk’s office annex at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield is hosting a Passport Fair on Saturday, March 9, from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. to jump-start interest in the warm weather travel season and to provide a full range of passport services with no need for an appointment.

“My office in Westfield is joining with the U.S. Department of State to celebrate ‘Passport Day in the USA’ – a national passport acceptance and outreach event,” said Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi. “Are you ready for that summer trip you dreamed about all winter? Now is the time to make sure your passport is up-to-date.”

As a special incentive for residents to apply for a passport on Saturday, March 9, the cost of each passport photograph that day will be reduced to $5.00. This half-price photo offer applies only to applicants for a new passport or a passport renewal during the Passport Fair.

To help make “Passport Day in the USA” fun for travelers, special give-away packets of travel tips will be available. County, state and federal elected officials have been invited to attend “Passport Day in the USA” to meet their constituents.

U.S. citizens must present a valid passport book when entering or re-entering the United States by air. U.S. citizens entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean islands and Bermuda at land borders and sea ports of entry must present a passport book, passport card, or other travel documents approved by the U.S. government.

“Some countries require passports to be valid for an additional three, six or nine months after your visit,” Rajoppi added. “If your passport is due to expire within nine months of your international travel, you should renew your passport to ensure a smoother journey.”

Information about the cost and how to apply for a passport book and/or passport card is available athttp://travel.state.gov. U.S. citizens may also obtain passport information by phone, in English and Spanish, by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 1-877-487-2778.

Passport application forms may be obtained 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 athttps://ucnj.org/government/county-clerk/Passports. The phone number at the Union County Clerk’s Westfield Annex is 908-654-9859.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that eligible small businesses that were damaged by Superstorm Sandy can still apply for a low interest loan under the Storm Recovery Loan program. This special loan program aims to help local businesses that may not qualify for a conventional loan. The loan limit, which was previously set at $15,000, has also been raised to $25,000.

The Storm Loan Initiative is administered by the nonprofit Union County Economic Development Corporation (UCEDC), made possible by a generous grant from Investors Bank.

“If you have any questions about your eligibility, I encourage you to get in touch with UCEDC and find out if you qualify for a low interest loan,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Thanks to Investors Bank, there is a helping hand for eligible members of Union County’s small business community.”

In addition to the structural damage typically associated with destructive storms, a Storm Recovery Loan can be used to help cover other expenses such as the cost of replacing lost inventory or damaged equipment.

Many small businesses throughout the county have already taken advantage of the program.  A veterinarian in Fanwood, for example, was able to use a Storm Recovery Loan to replace lost medicines and supplies, while an accountant and tax preparer in Linden used it to fill a gap in insurance coverage and replace damaged signage and computer equipment.

To be eligible, applicants must be in business for at two least years and be profitable before Superstorm Sandy struck. The loan program consists of a 2% rate for five years, with no collateral, application or processing fees involved.

For information about the Storm Recovery Loan program and other loan programs at UCEDC, business owners can call 908-527-1166 or visit ucedc.com.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release.   Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of monoprints by Andrea Epstein of Berkeley Heights in the gallery space at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, located at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth. A selection of her work entitled “Monoprints: Explorations in Printmaking” is on display at the Pearl Street Gallery until March 28. Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

“We are pleased to have Ms. Epstein’s compelling works on display,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board. “The exhibit demonstrates her mastery of the abstract expressionist tradition.”

Andrea Epstein earned a BFA in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and an MFA from Yale University School of Art. She is certified to teach studio art through the Bank Street College of Education/Parsons School of Design in New York City.

Ms. Epstein’s teaching experience includes: Teaching Assistant, Painting, at RISD and Yale University; Art Instructor, The Hewitt School, NYC; Advisor/Adjunct Instructor in the Parsons Art Education Program; and Owner/Instructor of Andrea’s Art Barn in Maplewood, NJ.

Her many exhibits in the Northeast include: “Artists as Educators,” Parsons School of Design, NYC; Ashawagh Hall, Solo Exhibit, East Hampton, NY; “Pressing Matters,” The Visual Arts Center, Summit, NJ; “Abstraction, A Woman’s View,” The Gaelen Galleries, JCC MetroWest, West Orange, NJ; The Monotype Guild of New England 2010 Juried Exhibition, Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA; and “Paper Work,” Group Exhibition of Printmaking, Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ. Epstein’s work may be seen atwww.andreaepstein.com .

“Although my work is clearly abstract and I intend no literal interpretation, I do consider most of the images to be a sort of inner landscape of the mind,” Ms. Epstein said. “My aim is to create an image that reveals itself slowly over time as opposed to being accessible all at once.”

Union County artists (whose works can be hung on a wall) interested in exhibiting in the gallery are welcome to apply. For more information about the Pearl Street Gallery or other programs, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl St., Elizabeth, NJ 07202. Telephone 908-558-2550. NJ Relay users can dial 711. E-mail to: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ – A free workshop about identification and removal of emergent aquatic invasive plants will be held on Friday, March 8, from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Union County Engineering Building located at 2325 South Avenue in Scotch Plains. The program is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, in partnership with the New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team (NJISST) and the New Jersey Watershed Ambassador Program, through AmeriCorps and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Melissa Almendinger, executive director of NJISST, will present the two-hour training program. Attendees will be taught to identify target aquatic species, collect and report data to NJISST’s database, and remove specific types of aquatic invasive plants.

“This training will make participants more aware of some of the invasive plants appearing in Union County’s park system and what they can do to help prevent them from spreading,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter.

An invasive species is a non-native organism that causes harm to the environment, human health or the economy. They interrupt the natural functions of an ecosystem by impacting native plants and animals. Overall, invasive species place a tremendous burden on natural resources and are considered to be the greatest threat to global biodiversity, second only to outright habitat destruction.

Invasive aquatic plants spread quickly and discourage the growth of native plants, vastly affecting our ecosystems. NJISST uses the method of Early Detection and Rapid Response to find and destroy new populations of invasive plants, animals and pathogens before they become widespread and cause significant ecological damage.

Registration for the free training workshop is limited and required. Contact Matthew Popin atwatershed7@ucnj.org or call 908-789-3209. For more information visit www.njisst.org. For information about how to participate in Union County’s Adopt-A-Park or Trail Program, visit www.ucnj.org.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

Press Release from PSE&G

Press Releases & Photos > PSE&G Warns Customers About Payment Scam Individuals in Hispanic Neighborhoods Targeted

Espanol

(January 12, 2012 – Newark, NJ) – PSE&G is alerting its customers not to be defrauded by a scam in which individuals misrepresenting themselves as PSE&G employees threaten to turn off electric and gas service if payment is not made to them that day.

The scam involves payments using Green Dot MoneyPaks and seems to be targeting Hispanic neighborhoods in PSE&G’s service territory. As noted on the MoneyPak packaging and on the company’s Web site (www.moneypak.com), to protect themselves from fraud, consumers should treat the MoneyPak like cash and only use the MoneyPak number with businesses on their approved partner list.

Here is how the scam works:

• A Spanish-speaking individual pretending to be a PSE&G employee calls customers saying they “work for PSE&G in the disconnect collection department.”

• They tell customers their account is in arrears and their utility service will be discontinued unless they make a payment using a prepaid debit card.

• Customers are told to purchase a Green Dot MoneyPak at any convenience store, use cash to put money onto the card, and then provide the number on the card to the person who called them.

• Customers are advised that if they do not immediately call back and provide the MoneyPak information, their service will be turned off that day.

• Typically, after the customer provides that MoneyPak number, the scammer transfers the funds to a prepaid card, and cashes it in at an ATM.

What to do if you get a call

When PSE&G makes an outbound phone call to customers, the caller ID will identify the call as coming from PSE&G and customer-specific information is shared with the customer. If customers do not receive the correct pieces of information, they likely are not speaking with a PSE&G representative. If customers feel uncomfortable and they know they have an outstanding balance that needs to be resolved, they should hang up and call PSE&G directly at 1-800-436-7734 or visit a local PSE&G Customer Service Center. Service Centers are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM with locations listed on customer bills and online at: http://www.pseg.com/centers

Any customer who has doubts about the legitimacy of any call from PSE&G, especially one in which payment is requested, should call the utility directly.

PSE&G is working with law enforcement to investigate the matter and is also reaching out to its contacts at local community service agencies asking them to spread the word to their clients.

The Better Business Bureau also is warning customers to be on guard for a rising tide of scams involving MoneyPaks, which can be used to fund PayPal accounts and to pay phone, cable or other utility bills, or credit card bills.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter (R) and (from left) Freeholders Vernell Wright, Bette Jane Kowalski, Bruce Bergen and Mohamed Jalloh congratulated Ella Teal (C) on receiving the Chester Holmes Humanitarian Award. Teal, Executive Director of the Urban League of Union County, received the honor during the First Annual Union County Black History Month Celebration on February 15 at Union County College in Elizabeth. The Freeholder Board created the award in honor of the late, former Freeholder Chester Holmes.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to sponsor a special program for adults at Trailside Nature & Science Center about caring for injured wild animals. The lecture, “A Day in the Life of a Wildlife Rehabilitator,” will be offered Thursday, February 28, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. The fee for this program is $8 for Union County residents and $10 for out-of-county participants.

Members of the South Mountain Wildlife Rehabilitation Center will be on hand to explain what it takes to care for injured animals. The Rehabilitation Center provides a means for caring people to give orphaned and injured wildlife a second chance to live out their natural, wild lives.

“This informative and empowering lecture will enable us to respond appropriately to the injured wild animals we find in our midst,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “There will be an opportunity to see some of the animals currently in the care of the facility and learn how you can help you local wildlife.”

Each wildlife patient requires specialized medical treatment and dietary care. The caregivers will explain how medical treatment is provided for injured animals and share techniques on how baby animals are bottle-fed until they are able to eat and fend for themselves.

For additional information about this lecture or other programs for adults or upcoming events at Trailside, call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside.  Trailside Nature & 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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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

Do you like working with artists, teachers and students? Union County’s annual Teen Arts Festival provides an opportunity for volunteers to get involved.

The Union County Teen Arts Festival, sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders through the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Department of Parks and Community Renewal, is a two-day celebration of the arts held annually at Union County College in Cranford. The event, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, March 26 and 27, is open to all students from public, charter, private and parochial middle and high schools in Union County.

“Nearly 3,500 students with a staff of 55 professional artists participate in performances, critiquing seminars, master classes and workshops in every discipline – visual art, music, creative writing, theater and dance,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Volunteers are needed to assist artists with workshops, manage performance sites and staff information stations. We appreciate the invaluable assistance of our county residents with this exciting program.”

If you are interested in any of these activities, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, New Jersey 07202. Telephone: (908) 558-2550; NJ Relay Users call 711. Or e-mail us at: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites youngsters young and old to go sledding in the Union County Parks System.

Sledding is one of several winter sports, along with cross-country skiing and ice skating, for which areas are set aside within the parks system – weather, snow and ice conditions permitting.

Cross-country skiing is allowed at Ash Brook Golf Course in Scotch Plains, Oak Ridge Park in Clark, and the Watchung Reservation. There is no location in the park system suitable for downhill skiing.

The “Summer Arts” concert area in Echo Lake Park in Mountainside, located off Springfield Avenue, is one of five sanctioned sites in the Union County park system for sledding. The others are Briant Park in Summit, Lenape Park in Cranford (in areas away from the waterways), Meisel Avenue Detention Basin in Springfield, and Unami Park in Garwood.

Please note that toboggans, bobsleds and other non-steerable devices are strongly discouraged at any time, for safety reasons. Children should be supervised at all times. The park supervisor may suspend sledding activities if there is not enough snow or if there are severe ice conditions.

Snowmobiles are strictly prohibited in the Union County Park System.

The Union County park system is heavily wooded. The parks sit in proximity to roadways and bodies of water that can be hazardous to sledders and snowboarders.

Galloping Hill Golf Course is not available for winter sports activities. Terrain of the course is considered too hazardous for this use. Snowboarding and sledding are also prohibited at the Ash Brook Golf Course and Oak Ridge Park.

For ice skating lovers, the County’s Skating Center at Warinanco Park is open for the season.  Check www.ucnj.org/skate for hours.

Unfortunately, the weather has not cooperated and lakes in the county parks system have not frozen to sufficient thickness to allow for skating in any of the lakes and ponds in the county parks system.

The Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal reserves the right to cancel winter sports at any park at any time if the conditions of the park are such that the safety of the public is in jeopardy.

For additional information regarding winter sports, call the Department of Parks and Community Renewal at (908) 527-4900 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Information can also be obtained by visiting our website at www.ucnj.org.

For information about indoor ice skating, call the recorded message at the Warinanco Skating Center (908) 298-7850.

Union County – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders would like to advise residents that the Union County Black History Month Kick-off Reception has been rescheduled for Friday, February 15th at 1:00 p.m. at the Union County College Kellogg Building, 40 West Jersey St in Elizabeth. The postponement comes due to the inclement weather caused by Winter Storm Nemo.

The Kick-off Reception is set to include an exciting talk about Black History by Rev. H. William Rutherford Jr., past President of the New Jersey State Conference of the NAACP, as well as a summary of other Black History Month events taking place throughout the County, and the first presentation of the Chester Holmes Humanitarian Award.

The Award, created by the Freeholder Board in honor of the late, former Freeholder Chester Holmes, will be awarded to Ella S. Teal, of the Urban League of Union County.

For additional information on attending the Union County Black History Month Kick-off Reception, contact Mary Lynn Williams at 908-527-4106.

Detailed information on Black History Month Events happening throughout Union County will be available starting Friday, February 1, on the Union County Black History Month website, www.ucnj.org/black-history.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj