Category: Public Info

HILLSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks & Community Renewal announce the final evening of this summer’s “Family Fun and Flix” – the free entertainment and film series on Tuesday evenings – on August 14 at Conant Park in Hillside. The evening will feature a display of reptiles from the Trailside Ecovan followed by a showing of the animated action comedy spy film, “Cars 2,” which will give families another chance to enjoy an outdoor activity and catch a movie under the stars in a Union County park.

“Family Fun and Flix begins at dusk, but come early to the park to enjoy an interesting preview activity at 7:30 p.m. at the Trailside Ecovan that is fun for the whole family,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “Bring a blanket or beach chair to claim your spot on the lawn or save a seat in the bleachers – either way, the early birds are sure to like the preview activity before the movie.”

Come to Conant Park in Hillside on Tuesday, August 14 at 7:30 p.m. when naturalists from Trailside Nature & Science Center will display reptiles found in Union County’s Watchung Reservation. Then sit back at dusk and watch as star racecar Lightning McQueen and his buddy, Mater the tow truck, take their friendship to exciting new places when they travel overseas to compete in the first World Grand Prix in the 2011 Pixar animated adventure, “Cars 2.”

The movie starts at dusk, weather permitting. For more information, call the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal at 908-527-4900. For program and rain information call 908-558-4079 after 3:00 p.m. on the day of the show.

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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 .

UNION, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that its next mobile paper-shredding program for personal documents will be available on Saturday, August 11, on the campus of Kean University in Union.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents fight identity theft and eliminate clutter in their homes,” said Freeholder Christopher Hudak, liaison to the Solid Waste Advisory Council. “It is a cost-effective way to assist our recycling efforts and it ties in with Union County’s other Go Green Initiatives.”

The August 11th shredding event will take place on the campus of Kean University, located at 1000 Morris Avenue in Union. Signs will direct you to the parking lot near Green Lane. NEXCUT Shredding of Teaneck 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 next shredding event will take place Thursday, Sept. 13th at the Linden Recycling Center.

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 Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889 or visit us online at www.ucnj.org/recycle .

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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 .

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Linda Carter (R) and Freeholders Vernell Wright (L) and Mohamed Jalloh (2nd L) present certificates to Rich and Donna Albanese-DeMair, owners of the Dairy Queen in Plainfield, recognizing them for their donation of about 60 bicycles for children during a “Christmas in July” event hosted by the Salvation Army in Plainfield. Mr. Albanese-DeMair refurbished all the bikes making them as-good-as-new. He has refurbished more than 330 bikes for local children over several years. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

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
On Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj

CLARK, NJ – The Union County Summer Arts Festival concert series continues its 52nd summer of music on Wednesday evening, August 8, with a performance by American Rapture. The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, led by Chairman Alexander Mirabella, invites the public to attend this free concert that begins at 7:30 p.m. in Oak Ridge Park in Clark.

American Rapture is a specialty show band that plays a wide range of American popular music from the ‘50’s, ‘60’s and ‘70’s. Formed in 1999, the group started as an annual musical theatre production for Mystic Vision Players in Linden. After a successful ten-year run, the group was transformed by band leader Tony Greco into a touring concert band. Nowadays, American Rapture features nine vocalists backed by eight musicians and they play all your favorites. They’re the perfect way to enjoy an evening under the stars on a walk down memory lane.

“Bring the entire family for a fun-filled musical evening in Oak Ridge Park,” said Freeholder Chairman Mirabella. “Pack a picnic basket, bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on, and enjoy the sounds of summer under the stars.”

The Union County information van will be at the concert site with knowledgeable staff to answer questions and offer information about interesting programs and recreational activities available to Union County residents.

The Summer Arts Festival concerts continue in August on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. The remaining concerts will be held at Oak Ridge Park in Clark. Lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets are encouraged. Refreshments and snacks will be available from vendors.

The other free concerts in the Union County Summer Arts Festival series include:

Aug. 15 – JoBonanno & The Godsons; at Oak Ridge Park.
Aug. 22 – The B Street Band (The Original Springsteen Tribute); at Oak Ridge Park.

For rain information call the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal at (908) 558-4079 after 3 p.m. on the day of the scheduled concert, or visit the Union County web site: 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 .

SPRINGFIELD, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Department of Parks & Community Renewal and our partners in law enforcement and emergency management are happy to announce that Union County’s “National Night Out” on August 7 at Meisel Park in Springfield will include “Family Fun and Flix” – the free summer entertainment and film series.

The evening begins at 6 p.m. with National Night Out activities, featuring local first responders and their emergency vehicles, plus live demonstrations by Union County Police, S.W.A.T., Bomb Squad officers and other public safety personnel. There also will be free refreshments and other activities, including children’s fingerprinting; live music at 8 p.m. by a young local band, The Grickenz; and a showing of the concert film, “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.”

“Come early to the park as Union County hosts its 5th annual National Night Out program from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and learn about the public safety services that our county and municipalities offer to keep our neighborhoods safe for residents and visitors,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “Bring a blanket or beach chair to claim your spot on the lawn and stay for the music and movie under the stars.”

At dusk, sit back and enjoy the movie as teen singing sensation Justin Bieber prepares for the biggest concert of his life: his 2010 appearance at Madison Square Garden. “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” is an underdog story that includes footage of the pop star’s childhood in Canada and his close family ties to his mother and grandfather.

The finale for this summer’s Family Fun and Flix series will be Tuesday, August 14 at Conant Park in Hillside. Trailside Nature & Science Center’s Ecovan will feature a program about reptiles, before the animated action comedy spy film, “Cars 2.”

For more information about Family Fun & Flix, call the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal at 908-527-4900. For program and rain information call 908-558-4079 after 3:00 p.m. on the day of the show.

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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 announce that the First Place two dimensional artworks from the 2012 Union County Senior Art Show are now on display at the Freeholders Gallery located on the 6th floor of the Union County Administration Building at Elizabethtown Plaza in historic midtown Elizabeth. The gallery hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. The exhibit will run through Tuesday, August 21st.

“The Union County Senior Art Show is open to artists 60 years of age and older who are currently living in Union County and are either non-professional or professional in status in various mediums of artwork,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board. “In September, all the winning pieces will represent Union County and compete further at the New Jersey State Senior Citizens Art Show.”

The following are the non-professional artists included in the Freeholders exhibit:
Williams Daniels of Springfield (Acrylic);
Andrew E. Sivick of Scotch Plains (Craft);
Carol Iverson of Cranford (Drawing);
Carol Norman of Union (Mixed Media & Best in Show Non-Pro);
Eileen Bonacci of Berkeley Heights (Oil);
Marjorie Picard of Scotch Plains (Pastel);
Greg Cummings of Fanwood (Photography);
Peter Brogan of Union (Print);
Nicholas Florio of Roselle Park (Watercolor).

The following are the professional artists included in the Freeholders exhibit:
Rosalia Verdun of Roselle Park (Oil);
Diane A. Gallo of Summit (Pastel);
Anthony Riccio, Jr. of Westfield (Photography &Best in Show Pro);
Linda Howe of New Providence (Print);
John Curch of Scotch Plains (Watercolor).

The first place winners of the 3D artworks are not on display at the Freeholders Gallery, but will go on to compete at the New Jersey State Senior Citizens Art Show.

The 3D winners are:
Harriet Leff of Scotch Plains (Sculpture, Non-Professional);
Rafael Alexander Illanes of Linden (Sculpture, Professional).

For further information and to learn more about exhibiting at the Freeholders Gallery, please contact Teya David, Curator, at 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 Freeholders Vernell Wright (L) and Bette Jane Kowalski (R) congratulate Carol Norman of Union on winning non-professional Best in Show and first place in the non-professional mixed media category at the 2012 Union County Senior Art Show during the opening reception in June at the Elizabethtown Gas Company’s Liberty Hall Center in Union. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union).

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 at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is looking for artisans and crafts people to demonstrate Early American work and craft skills and to sell their hand-crafted wares at Union County’s 31st Annual Harvest Festival. The event is a celebration of Early American life featuring music, children’s crafts, games, demonstrations and displays, a petting zoo and much more. The Harvest Festival will take place, rain or shine, at Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside on Sunday, Sept. 30, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Union County Harvest Festival is a popular event that attracts nearly 4,000 visitors each year. By participating, demonstrators and venders of hand-crafted goods will receive excellent exposure and have the opportunity to educate others about their craft or work skill and the Early American period in general. Examples of the handicrafts and work skills being sought are: blacksmithing, candle making, paper making, broom making, shoe making, hat making, jewelry making, quilting and other colonial or Native American crafts or skills.

For details about how to participate, please call the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal at (908) 527-4806.

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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 at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

Union County, NJ – Healthful, light and easy to prepare, seafood makes a perfect summertime meal. If you are looking for new ways to include more seafood in your diet this summer, the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County will be offering its popular “Seafood at its Best” cooking class once again, complete with food tastings.

The two-session class will be held on Wednesday August 1 and 8 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., at the Extension offices in the County Services Building, 300 North Avenue East in Westfield.

“After hearing great things about the “Seafood at its Best” program I am happy to see it being offered again,” said Union County Freeholder Linda Carter. “The class is taught by a Rutgers nutrition expert, so this is a good opportunity to learn new recipes while getting reliable information about the benefits of seafood.”

As part of a healthy diet, seafood is linked to improved heart health, brain function and overall well being.

The class, led by Dr. Karen Ensle of Rutgers University, will include information on selecting and preparing different types of seafood, along with food safety tips.

Pre-registration is required by mail to Rutgers Cooperative Extension, 300 North Avenue East, Westfield NJ 07090 (attn. Judi Laganga), with a check for $25.00 made out to “NJ Cooperative Extension-Cook.”

For more information on Seafood at Its Best and all other Extension programs, call 908-654-9854.

The Rutgers Cooperative Extension is supported in part by 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 at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

Cooperating Agencies: Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Rutgers Cooperative Extension, a unit of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. Contact the Union County Extension office for information regarding special needs or accommodations. Contact the State Extension Director’s office if you have concerns related to discrimination, 732-932-5000, ext. 584.

Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich (left) swore in new Sheriff’s Officers during a recent ceremony in Elizabeth. The new officers are (from left) Alexander Gonzalez of Elizabeth, Nelson Agurto of Roselle Park, Sergey Zonn of Fanwood, Bryan Frew of Scotch Plains, Andrew Horan of Kenilworth, Raul Ramos of Plainfield, Rigoberto Gonzalez of Elizabeth and Mazhar Elwardany of Plainfield. The new officers, all U.S. military veterans, will be filling current vacancies in the Sheriff’s Office. (Photo by Union County Sheriff’s Office)

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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
On Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj

The Union County Summer Arts Festival concert series continues its 52nd summer of music on Wednesday evening, August 1, with a Classic Rock Revue performance featuring two popular local bands: The Rick Cantor Band and The Broadcasters. The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, led by Chairman Alexander Mirabella, invites the public to attend this free concert that begins at 7:30 p.m. in Oak Ridge Park in Clark.

The Rick Cantor Band members (Mike “Bubba” Bange, Rick Cantor, Travis Hudelson and Jim Sampson) hail from Westfield, Cranford and Short Hills. They’ve played classic rock in New Jersey and New York for more than 50 years collectively, specializing in hits from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s plus some of their original songs.

The Broadcasters (Mike Novello, Ed Gardella, Nino DiFabio and John Haussmann) started in a Scotch Plains basement in 2004. They perform main stream rock from classic to current tunes regularly at the Stage House, the Tap Room, The Crossroads, and the annual St. Bartholomew’s Italian Festival.

“Bring the entire family for a fun-filled musical evening in Oak Ridge Park,” said Freeholder Chairman Mirabella. “Pack a picnic basket, bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on, and enjoy the sounds of summer under the stars.”

The Union County information van will be at the concert site with knowledgeable staff to answer questions and offer information about interesting programs and recreational activities available to Union County residents.

The Summer Arts Festival concerts continue throughout August on Wednesdays beginning at 7:30 p.m. The August concerts will be held at Oak Ridge Park in Clark. Lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets are encouraged. Refreshments and snacks will be available from vendors.

The other free concerts in the Union County Summer Arts Festival series include:

Aug. 8 – American Rapture; at Oak Ridge Park.
Aug. 15 – JoBonanno & The Godsons; at Oak Ridge Park.
Aug. 22 – The B Street Band (The Original Springsteen Tribute); at Oak Ridge Park.

For rain information call the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal at (908) 558-4079 after 3 p.m. on the day of the scheduled concert, or visit the Union County web site: 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 at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .