Category: Public Info

Union County Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella presented Zachary Brooks and his family
with complimentary tickets to the new Union County Sensory Friendly Theater series, in appreciation
for Zachary’s efforts to raise awareness about autism.
(l-r: County Manager Alfred Faella;  Donna Puzella, owner of Sweet Nothings in Summit;
Elisa Brooks; Zachary Brooks; Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella; and
Samson Steinman, Executive Director of the Union County Performing Arts Center).

Union County, NJ – Union County Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella paid a visit to nine-year-old Zachary Brooks of Summit this week to thank him for his efforts to raise awareness about autism. In appreciation for his community service, Chairman Mirabella presented Zachary and his family with tickets to the first performance in the new Union County Sensory Friendly Theater series.

“Zachary has performed an outstanding community service that brings out the best in all of us,” said Chairman Mirabella. “His efforts are truly inspiring.”

The new Sensory Friendly Theater series includes music, dance and theater performances especially designed for children with autism and related disorders to enjoy with their families. It was initiated this year as part of Chairman Mirabella’s 2012 initiatives, with the goal of raising public awareness about autism and helping children with autism participate in community life.

“Cultural enrichment is so important for a young person’s development, and the Sensory Friendly series helps to ensure that the performing arts are accessible in a friendly, judgment-free atmosphere,” said Mirabella.

Zachary, whose twin brother has autism, stepped up this year to help his aunt Donna Puzella in her longtime campaign for autism awareness through her Summit business Sweet Nothings. Zachary has been working to raise funds and to help promote a better understanding of autism.

The Sensory Friendly Theater series is hosted by the historic Union County Performing Arts Center, conveniently located at 1601 Irving Street in the downtown Rahway Arts District.

All performances are designed to keep sound and light at a moderate level. Children may talk or leave their seats during the performances, and if needed they can visit quiet areas set aside in the lobby, where trained staff is available to provide assistance.

The series includes Tom Chapin and Friends on June 10, Little Red Riding Hood and Other Stories presented by Pushcart Players on October 7, and Pinocchio presented by the New Jersey Ballet on November 4.

Tickets are affordably priced at $8.00 per person. For more information call the Union County Performing Arts Center at 732-499-8226 or visit ucpac.org.

For information on all Union County programs, events and services visit 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 Public Is Invited to “Get Your Nature On!” at 24-hour Event in the Rahway River Parkway

RAHWAY, NJ – Union County offers nature lovers of all ages the opportunity to get up-close and personal with wildlife in their own “backyard” during Bio-Blitz 2012. Beginning on Friday, June 8, at 5 p.m., the annual outdoor event will organize teams of plant and wildlife specialists to scour three sections of Union County’s Rahway River Parkway in Rahway, Clark, Winfield Park and Cranford in search of plants and animals over a 24-hour period.

Volunteer expert and amateur scientists and naturalists are needed to participate as team Bio-Blitz members. To volunteer or to receive a brochure and application, call 908-789-3683. When calling, please specify your level of experience and team preference. Registration may also be done online at the Union County website: www.ucnj.org.

“Although the Rahway River Parkway is surrounded by suburban development, it is a perfect example of how green spaces can provide a haven for people and wildlife,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “The Bio-Blitz is a great opportunity for the community to learn more about the natural places that make Union County a special place to live.”

Plant, fungi, insect, fish, bird, mammal, amphibian and reptile experts, and water monitors (along with amateur naturalists) will collect and identify species from the three sections of parkland. Teams will return to Bio-Blitz Central, an outdoor, tented field lab and exhibit space in Rahway River Park, off St. Georges Avenue in Rahway, to sort and count what they find.

The primary purpose of Bio-Blitz 2012 is to gain a “snapshot” of the biodiversity (or richness of species) in the 384-acre (0.6 square mile) Rahway River Parkway. Another important goal of the event is to raise public awareness of the importance of parkland as wildlife habitat and outdoor classrooms. Rahway River Parkway boasts some excellent floodplain, stream, river, meadow and woodland habitat. Greenways provide valuable habitat, and act as a stopover and wildlife corridor for migratory and resident wildlife, including red tail hawks, screech owls, great horned owls, great egrets, great blue herons, coyotes and foxes.

Free nature-related programs for all ages will be offered throughout the event, including evening programs from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. on Friday, June 8, and from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 9. Free shuttle buses will be available to get participants to and from program sites. Programs offered will include: River & Lake Sampling; Owl Prowl; Wild Edible Plant Walk; Fungi Foray; Early Morning Birding, and more. Bio-Blitz Bingo will offer younger “scientists” an opportunity to record their findings and enter a drawing to win nature-related prizes. A Junior Scientist tent will have young naturalists interacting with hands-on activities related to the natural environment.

Bio-Blitz 2012 is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal, Kean University and the Rahway River Association, with partial funding provided by PSE&G. Team volunteers will be fed and “watered” thanks to generous donations from Whole Foods, Starbucks, Muscle Maker Grill, United Rahway Water, ShopRite, and Sports Authority. Additional donations will be provided by the Rahway River Association, Wild Birds Unlimited and other area vendors.

Other partner organizations include the Army Corps of Engineers, Arthur Kill Watershed Association, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Friends of Lenape Park, New Jersey Mycological Association, Newark Museum, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Fish & Wildlife, the NJDEP AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Plant Protection and Quarantine Programs. Union County’s Trailside Nature & Science Center staff also will be on-hand to offer guided walks and provide live animal exhibits.

For more information or to receive a brochure, call 908-789-3683 and leave your email address. Brochures also will be available at Trailside Nature & Science Center at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside.

ENJOYING THE GREAT OUTDOORS – Shawn Crouse of NJDEP, Fish & Wildlife, sorts fish caught at Union County’s Bio-Blitz 2011. This year’s event will take place from 5 p.m. Friday, June 8, through 5 p.m. Saturday, June 9, in three sections of the Rahway River Parkway in Rahway, Clark, Winfield Park and Cranford. For more information, or to volunteer for a Bio-Blitz team, call 908-789-3683, or visit the Union County website: www.ucnj.org. (Photo by Debbie Partesi).

RAHWAY, NJ – Most teenagers daydream about singing or dancing on a stage before a live audience. That dream becomes reality for Union County middle and high school students on Wednesday, May 16th at 7 p.m. when they perform at the Union County Performing Arts Center, 1601 Irving Street, in Rahway’s downtown arts district.

Jazz combos, vocal groups, pianists, dancers and theater performers were selected from among the 4,000 students who participated at the 2012 Teen Arts Festival at Union County College in Cranford in March. The annual Festival is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and coordinated by the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Department of Parks and Community Renewal.

“The Festival is a wonderful opportunity for students to interact with professional artists while sharing their own talents with students from other schools,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “Students appearing in the Showcase at UCPAC represent all arts disciplines and the municipalities that participated in the 2012 Festival.”

The Teen Arts Showcase on May 16th is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Union County Performing Arts Center. Teachers, fellow students, friends and family members of participating students are invited to attend the Showcase along with the general public. Admission is free.

The annual Teen Arts Festival is a two-day celebration of the arts where students and a staff of 50 professional artists participate in performances, critiquing seminars, master classes and workshops in every discipline – visual arts, music, creative writing, theater, media arts and dance. The Festival’s focus is not on competition but an opportunity for students to develop perceptual, intellectual and technical skills; gain cultural awareness and understanding; develop personal, aesthetic values; and learn self-discipline, critical thinking and problem solving through analyzing, interpreting and making judgments.

The historic Union County Performing Arts Center, formerly known as the Rahway Theatre, opened in 1928 as a classic vaudeville/movie showplace. In 1984, the theatre was saved by a dedicated group of volunteers, and in 1985 it became the Union County Arts Center. The theatre, which features live performances, seats more than 1,300 people.

For more information about the Teen Arts Showcase and the annual Teen Arts Festival, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202. 908-558-2550. NJ Relay Users dial 711. Or email: Culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

Union County, NJ  — The Master Gardeners of Union County will host the popular Garden Fair on Sunday, May 20, from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the Union County Demonstration Garden by the Trailside Nature and Science Center, 453 New Providence Road in Mountainside. The annual rain-or-shine event features hundreds of plants for sale including flowers, perennials, herbs and vegetable seedlings, along with children’s activities, free gardening advice from experts, and much more. Attendees are advised to bring a small wagon for hauling their purchases. For more information call the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County at 908-654-9854 or visit www.mastergardeners-uc.org. Information on all Union County programs, events and services is available at ucnj.org. Please note: pets are not permitted in the Garden Fair grounds.

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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 Freeholders Vernell Wright (L), Bette Jane Kowalski (2nd R) and Angel G. Estrada congratulate Richa Wadhawan of Edison on winning Best of Show at the 11th Annual Union County Employee Art Show during the opening reception at the Elizabethtown Gas Company’s Liberty Hall Center in Union. The contest, co-sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and The National Arts Program Foundation, was open to Union County employees and their relatives. The exhibit will be open to the public weekdays until May 29, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Elizabethtown Gas Company, located at Liberty Hall Center, 1085 Morris Avenue in Union Township.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

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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.

Union County Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (L), Vernell Wright (2nd R) and Angel G. Estrada congratulate Dianna Strom of Cranford on winning first place in the intermediate category at the 11th Annual Union County Employee Art Show during the opening reception at the Elizabethtown Gas Company’s Liberty Hall Center in Union. The contest, co-sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and The National Arts Program Foundation, was open to Union County employees and their relatives. The exhibit will be open to the public weekdays until May 29, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Elizabethtown Gas Company, located at Liberty Hall Center, 1085 Morris Avenue in Union Township.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

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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.

Union County Freeholders Vernell Wright (L), Bette Jane Kowalski and Angel G. Estrada congratulate Kayla Stasil of Martinsville on winning first place in the youth category at the 11th Annual Union County Employee Art Show during the opening reception at the Elizabethtown Gas Company’s Liberty Hall Center in Union. The contest, co-sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and The National Arts Program Foundation, was open to Union County employees and their relatives. The exhibit will be open to the public weekdays until May 29, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Elizabethtown Gas Company, located at Liberty Hall Center, 1085 Morris Avenue in Union Township.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

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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.

Union County Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (L), Vernell Wright (2nd L) and Angel G. Estrada congratulate Tiina Nummela of Somerset on winning first place in the amateur category at the 11th Annual Union County Employee Art Show during the opening reception at the Elizabethtown Gas Company’s Liberty Hall Center in Union. The contest, co-sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and The National Arts Program Foundation, was open to Union County employees and their relatives. The exhibit will be open to the public weekdays until May 29, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Elizabethtown Gas Company, located at Liberty Hall Center, 1085 Morris Avenue in Union Township.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

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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.

Union County Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (L), Vernell Wright (2nd R) and Angel G. Estrada congratulate Ara Herrera of Elizabeth on winning first place in the teen category at the 11th Annual Union County Employee Art Show during the opening reception at the Elizabethtown Gas Company’s Liberty Hall Center in Union. The contest, co-sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and The National Arts Program Foundation, was open to Union County employees and their relatives. The exhibit will be open to the public weekdays until May 29, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Elizabethtown Gas Company, located at Liberty Hall Center, 1085 Morris Avenue in Union Township.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

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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.

Union County Freeholders Bette Jane Kowalski (L), Vernell Wright (2nd R) and Angel G. Estrada congratulate Ruth Brown of Edison on winning first place in the professional category at the 11th Annual Union County Employee Art Show during the opening reception at the Elizabethtown Gas Company’s Liberty Hall Center in Union. The contest, co-sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and The National Arts Program Foundation, was open to Union County employees and their relatives. The exhibit will be open to the public weekdays until May 29, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Elizabethtown Gas Company, located at Liberty Hall Center, 1085 Morris Avenue in Union Township.  (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

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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.