Category: Public Info

Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright (R) congratulates Pat and Anita DiFabio of Garwood on being honored for their 20 years of volunteer service at the 49th Annual Volunteer Awards Luncheon for Runnells Specialized Hospital volunteers. Dozens of other volunteers were also honored at the luncheon on May 9 in Mountainside.  (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 athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

The Academy for Information Technology, one of five high schools at the Union County Vo-Tech Schools campus on Raritan Road in Scotch Plains.       (photo: Union County Vo-Tech Schools)

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that four of the five Union County Vo-Tech high schools have been named among the top high schools in the nation by the annual U.S. News & World Report school survey.

“Our Union County Vo-Tech schools continue to earn outstanding recognition because the students, faculty, staff and parents work together with community stakeholders to foster a supportive yet challenging learning environment,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “We are all very proud of their efforts.”

The nationwide survey recognized the top 500 schools with a Gold Medal award, and it recognized other outstanding schools with Silver and Bronze medals. In all, 82 New Jersey high schools achieved one of the three medals.

“Throughout the Vo-Tech campus, our faculty and staff work to ensure that our students are prepared to enter a challenging world, with solid academic and career skills and also with the kind of teamwork skills that will stand them in good stead throughout their lives,” said Dr. Thomas J. Bistocchi, the Vo-Tech Superintendent of Schools.

Vo-Tech had three schools in the Gold Medal category: the Academy of Allied Health Sciences (AIT), which placed #4 in New Jersey and #106 nationally, Magnet High School ( #13 in New Jersey and #243 nationally), and the Academy for Information Technology ( #27 in New Jersey and #443 nationally.

This is the second year in a row that AIT and Magnet have been recognized with a Gold Medal. Last year, Allied Health earned a Silver Medal.

This year’s survey also included a fourth Vo-Tech school, UC Tech High School, which was recognized with a Bronze Medal. UC Tech prepares students for careers in traditional and emerging vocations such as new electric vehicle technology.

Vo-Tech’s fifth school, The Academy for Performing Arts, was not included in the annual survey because it is a new school.

The complete survey is available online at usnews.com.

Last year, AIT, Magnet High School and Allied Health also made Newsweek’s list of the top 500 public high schools in the nation. UC Tech and Performing Arts were not included in that survey.

For more information about Union County Vo-Tech Schools, visit ucnj.org or www.ucvts.tec.nj.us/ucvts.

___

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, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce the start of a new program that enables County residents to recycle scrap metal free of charge.  A wide variety of metal goods, from household appliances to gutters and sheds, are included in the program.

The new countywide program will help to fill a service gap in some Union County municipalities, which currently have no pickup for scrap metal recycling.

“By sharing public resources we can ‘do more with less,’ and Union County is able to offer this convenient new service to residents of all 21 municipalities at no charge,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella.

The Scrap Metal Recycling Program is available for use by households, commercial establishments, nonprofit agencies and other organizations.

“As a community, we benefit across the board by recycling more and throwing away less waste, and we also stand to gain some revenue from the program,” said Mirabella.

Starting on Thursday, June 7, the program will be open on the first Thursday of each month and the third Saturday of each month, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.

Scrap metal from any municipality may be brought to any of the following four drop-off centers:

• Clark: Oak Ridge Park, 36 Oak Ridge Road (the Oak Ridge Service Yard).
• Mountainside: Watchung Reservation, Tracy Drive (the Loop parking area).
• Rahway: Rahway Park, Rahway Service Yard (across from the pool).
• Westfield: Westfield Conservation Center, 1300 Lamberts Mill Road.

Mirabella reminded County residents who are recycling refrigerators or freezers that by law, doors must be removed. The Scrap Metal Recycling Program cannot accept refrigerators or freezers with the doors intact.

Acceptable items include aluminum scrap, aluminum cans, brass, copper, dishwashers, gutters, microwaves, refrigerators and freezers with doors removed, stoves, clothes washers and dryers, air conditioners, metal cabinets, metal chain or wire fencing, clothes irons, railings, metal sheds, tire rims (with tires removed), metal window frames (with glass removed), bicycles, metal lawn furniture, rebar, aluminum siding, toasters, and wire hangers.

The Scrap Metal Recycling Program will be available every month of the year; however, in the event of extreme bad weather individual events may be cancelled.

To get more details online about the scrap metal program and other Union County recycling programs, visitucnj.org/recycling.

For information by phone, including weather-related cancellations, call the Union County Recycling Hotline, 908-654-9889.

___

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 –The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that County of Union will host a Veterans Job Fair and Resource event on Wednesday, May 23 from 10am to 3pm at the National Guard Armory at 500 Rahway Ave in Westfield.

“The Freeholder Board has made it a priority to offer our veterans every resource possible to successfully re-enter the work force,” Chairman Mirabella said. “Statistics show that nation-wide, young male veterans ages 18 to 24 had an unemployment rate of 29 percent in 2011.”

The upcoming job fair, which is also open to active duty military personnel, is expected to bring veterans together with over 50 employers in an effort to network and make connections for new employment opportunities.

Among the participating organizations are:

• Wells Fargo
• Prudential
• Johnson & Johnson
• Panasonic
• Barnabas Health
• NJ Transit
• Helmets to Hardhats (NJ Building and Construction trades)
• Joule Staffing
• PSE&G

With help from partners like the New Jersey Department of Labor, the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Lyons Veterans Administration Medical Center and Investors Bank in Plainfield, the Job Fair is being offered free of charge to veterans, active duty military personnel, and their families.

As part of the event representatives will be on site with information on veterans’ benefits, Social Security, and the GI Bill, as well as other State and County sponsored services. A representative from Lyons VA Medical Center will also be present to conduct health screenings.

As part of his 2012 “Putting People First Initiatives,” Chairman Mirabella recognized the need to enhance outreach to local veterans through Union County’s Office of Veterans Affairs. In addition to events like the Job Fair, the Chairman’s initiatives include a Veteran’s Appreciation day to take place this summer in the County parks system.

Working with the Veterans Affairs office, the Department of Parks and Community Renewal is also offering Union County’s active duty military personnel a number of complementary passes to recreational programs in the County parks system during 2012.

For additional information on the Veteran’s Job Fair please contact Elizabeth L. Sebring of the Union County Department of Human Services at (908) 527-4890 or via email at esebring@ucnj.org.

___

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 Mohamed Jalloh (4th R) and Vernell Wright (3rd R) helped
Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage (C) break ground on the new Spring Street Project in Elizabeth. They are joined by (from left) Elizabeth Councilman Manny Grova, Greg Dozier of NJ Community Development Group, LLC, Reverend John Howard, Armando D’Errico of NJ Community Development Group, LLC, Councilwoman-At-Large Patricia Perkins-Auguste and Union County Manager Alfred Faella. The site will feature an African American Cultural and Learning Center, a boutique theater and 20 affordable rental housing units. Financing for the development was provided in part by the City of Elizabeth, the Elizabeth Development Company, the County of Union and North Jersey Community Bank. (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.

Union County Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella (L) and Freeholder Mohamed Jalloh (R) present Leonard Schley of Roselle Park with a resolution congratulating and commending him for his tireless service of 50 years to the residents of Roselle Park as a member of the Roselle Park Fire Department.  (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.

Union County’s Trailside Nature and Science Center is offering Dusk to Dark family programs that explore the unique beauty of the Watchung Reservation in the early evening, starting with the Dusk Hike on May 16. Fun with Frogs and the Nature Trail Ride on horseback are among the other offerings. For information call Trailside at 908-789-3670 or visit online at 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. (photo: Karen Inzillo)

Union County, NJ – Union County’s Trailside Nature and Science Center will showcase creatures of the night during a series of evening family programs this spring.  The popular “Evening Dusk to Dark” programs are presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Community Renewal.

Pre-registration is required for each program.

Wednesday, May 16th from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.: Participate in a Dusk Hike, where everyone will be encouraged to use their “owl eyes” to look for homes and hideouts of the local wildlife.

Search for tree houses, burrows and nests while exploring the fields and forests for crepuscular or nocturnal animal neighbors. This is recommended for families with children ages 5 and up, with an adult.  The fee is $6.00 per person for in-county residents and $7.00 per person for out-of-county residents.

Wednesday, May 30th from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.: Frogs will reign supreme in a program titled Fun with Frogs.Families who attend this program will watch a brief slide presentation about these amazing amphibians that breathe through their skin and sing at night. Wear shoes that can get wet! Learn to identify spring peepers, green frogs, wood frogs and American toads by sound and then carpool to a nearby wetland to search for frogs, tadpoles and toads using special dip nets.

This program is for families with children ages 6 and older with an adult.  Younger siblings will not be permitted to attend this program.  The fee is $7.00 for in-county residents and $8.00 for out-of-county residents.

Thursday, June 7th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.: Delight in the wonders of the Watchung Reservation on horseback. Meet at the nearby Watchung Stable and join a Trailside Park Naturalist to learn all about the plants and animals that inhabit the Reservation. Then saddle up and meander through the woods and fields to visit Lake Surprise on a walking trail ride.

A Park Naturalist from Trailside Nature & Science Center will interpret sights and sounds of nature and identify interesting trees, plants and wildlife along the way. No riding experience is necessary. This program is for children ages 9 and up, with an adult. The fee is $45.00 for in-county residents and $56.00 for out-of-county residents.

To pre-register or to get additional information about Dusk to Dark or any other programs at Trailside, call 908-789-3670 or visit us on the web at 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.

___

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.

“Get Your Nature On!” at 24-Hour Event
in Lenape, Nomahegan & Echo Lake Parks

CRANFORD, NJ – Nature lovers of all ages will have the opportunity to get up-close and personal with wildlife in their own “backyard” during Bio-Blitz 2013, beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 14. The annual outdoor event will organize teams of plant and wildlife specialists to scour three Union County parks in Cranford, Kenilworth, Mountainside, Union and Westfield in search of plants and animals over a 24-hour period.

Expert and amateur scientists and naturalists are needed as members of Bio-Blitz teams. To register as a volunteer, go to the Union County website: www.ucnj.org/bio-blitz or e-mailbkelly@ucnj.org for more information. Please specify your level of experience and team preference.

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 parks. Teams will return to Bio-Blitz Central, an outdoor, tented field lab and exhibit space in Lenape Park, off Kenilworth Blvd. in Cranford, to sort and count what they find.

“The Bio-Blitz is a great opportunity for the community and visiting scientists to learn more about the natural places that make Union County a special place to live,” said Freeholder Chairman Linda Carter. “Although these parks are surrounded by suburban development, Nomahegan, Lenape and Echo Lake are perfect examples of how green spaces can provide a haven for people and wildlife.”

The primary purpose of Bio-Blitz 2013 is to gain a “snapshot” of the biodiversity (or richness of species) in this trio of interconnecting Union County parks. Another important goal of the event is to raise public awareness of the importance of parkland as wildlife habitat and outdoor classrooms. These 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 14, and from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 15. Free shuttle buses will be available to get participants to and from program sites. Programs offered will include: Frog Slog; Owl Prowl; Star Watch; River and Lake Sampling; Wild Edible Plant Walk; Live Hawk & Owl Talk; 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 2013 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,” caffeinated and “clothed” thanks to generous donations from ShopRite of Clark, Starbucks of Westfield, Jenkinson’s Aquarium, and Whole Foods. 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, New Jersey American Water, 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, visit www.ucnj.org/bio-blitz.

Elizabeth, NJ-The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present a new UC Connected video on the Video Channel.  April 1, 2012 marked the 100th anniversary of mosquito control in Union County.  Inspiration for the video came from a photograph exhibit documenting the 100 year history of Union County Bureau of Mosquito Control.

Produced by the Office of Public Information, UC Connected features videos that promote, highlight or introduce events, programs and services offered by the Freeholder Board.

“Anyone who visits the video channel will find content that is interesting and informative,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella.  “The mosquito control video in particular, not only highlights the bureaus history, but also emphasizes the important role residents’ play in keeping the mosquito population down in Union County.”

Last year, the Office of Public Information produced 21 UC Connected videos, which included highlights from the Union County Teen Arts Showcase, the formal Dedication of the new Fire Arms Training Facility, Union County’s immensely popular Mobile Shredding service and the kick-off of the Summer Arts Concert Series.

Additional Video Channel programming includes current and archived editions of Freeholder Forum and Vintage Views.  You will also find county relevant news stories, courtesy of News 12 and My 9 news.

The video page can be accessed through the “Video Channel” icon on the home page, or visithttps://ucnj.org/videochannel/.

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 – Spring has sprung, and just in time for your second round of blossoms, the Master Gardeners of Union County invite the public to the Union County Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale. Taking place on Sunday, May 20 from 12pm to 5pm the Fair is a great place to learn new gardening skills and purchase a variety of old favorites and new discoveries.

“Not only is the Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale a great place to pick up new blossoms for your home and garden,” said Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella, “It is the perfect opportunity for anyone with an interest in gardening to learn more about the Master Gardeners and the positive impact they have on our community.”

New Jersey Master Gardeners are trained volunteers who assist the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension in its mission to deliver horticulture programs and information to the general public. This year, the Union County Master Gardeners are celebrating 24 years of volunteer community service.

The Spring Garden Fair and Plant sale is an annual fund-raising event that helps fund the community projects of the Master Gardeners. This year marks the 22nd anniversary of the event, which has been chaired by Scotch Plains Master Gardener, Joanne Kreuger since 1991.

As part of the Garden Fair, the Master Gardeners will be selling an array of flowers, herbs, hanging baskets, house plants and vegetable seedlings, including a limited amount of Ramapo Tomato plants; an heirloom tomato that until recently had all but disappeared from New Jersey.

The Master Gardeners will also be hosting lectures on square-foot gardening, rain barrels and home composting and will be giving guided tours of the Demonstration Garden complex including their vegetable and herb gardens.

Other Garden Fair highlights include:

• Free children’s activities.
• Free Helpline clinic and Rutgers information fact sheets.
• Union County Division of Mosquito Control Supervisors on site to answer questions.
• 4-H Master Tree Stewards with children’s activity and display.
• Rutgers Soil test kits for sale.
• “The Cupcake Café” home-baked goods.
• Arts & crafts table.
• Gardening “Odds & Ends” sale table.
• Used gardening books and magazines sale.

The Spring Garden Fair is located at the Demonstration Garden by the Trailside Nature and Science Center, at the corner of New Providence Road and Coles Avenue in Mountainside.  A free parking lot is located at the site. Additional free parking is available at the nearby Loop playground area. For maps and directions, visitwww.ucnj.org/parks. The Garden Fair will take place rain or shine and no dogs will be permitted.

Visitors who plan to purchase plants are advised to bring a small wagon for ease of conveyance.

For more information about the Spring Garden Fair and Plant Sale or any Master Gardener programs contact Lynne Orlofsky at the Extension office in Westfield at 908-654-9854 or visit www.mastergardeners-uc.org.

Anyone with an interest in gardening and a commitment to volunteer service can become a Master Gardener. No previous education or training in horticulture is required.

___

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.

“Rutgers Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. Contact your local 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.”