Category: Public Info

ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to announce that the First Place artworks from the 2011 Union County Senior Art Exhibit may be viewed at the Freeholders Gallery located on the 6th floor of the Union County Administration Building at Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth. The gallery hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays. The display is on until August 24.

“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 First Place winners in the non-professional category are:

William Connolly of Garwood (Watercolor);

Patricia Jahnsen of Berkeley Heights (Pastel);

William Jeney, Jr. of Scotch Plains (Acrylic);

John Leavy of Cranford (Craft);

Joseph J. Leonard of Elizabeth (Photography);

Manuel Perez of Elizabeth (Mixed Media);

Murray Shereshewsky of Westfield (Drawing & Best in Show);

Urban J. Weiss of Linden (Oil).

 

The First Place winners in the professional category are:

Dante Bonardi of Garwood (Watercolor);

Millicent K. Brody of Westfield (Photography);

Mel Holston of Plainfield (Drawing & Best in Show);

Florian Jenkins of Union (Pastel);

Rosalia Verdun of Roselle Park (Oil).

 

The first place winners of the 3-Dimensional category, non-professional and professional, are not exhibited at the gallery, but will also go to compete in the New Jersey Senior Citizens Art Show. The two artists are:

Nick Dedes of Union (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 dial 711.

Union County, NJ — The Union County 4-H club program is looking for volunteers who love dogs and enjoy working with children, to lead the Union County 4-H Dog Club. The club helps children develop life skills while they learn about the care and training of dogs.

The club leader will be assisted by another adult, and 4-H provides lesson plans and tips on helping children learn the basic skills. No prior teaching experience is required. Some experience with dogs is important but an expert or professional background is not required.

The club is limited to eight members, in 4th through 6th grade. It meets one Saturday morning each month through the school year at the Union County Building at 300 North Avenue in Westfield.

Union County 4-H is a program of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, supported in part by the Freeholder Board.

To volunteer or to get more information, contact 4-H Agent James Nichnadowicz, 908-654-9854 ornichnadowicz@njaes.rutgers.edu.

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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.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity program and employer. Contact the State Extension Director’s Office if you have concerns related to discrimination, 732-932-5000, ext. 584.

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Summer Arts Festival concert series continues its 51st season of music on Wednesday, August 24, with an evening of music performed by Parrotbeach. The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, led by Chairman Deborah P. Scanlon, invites the public to attend this free concert that begins at 7:30 p.m. at Echo Lake Park on the Mountainside-Westfield border.

Parrotbeach is one of the few full-time Jimmy Buffett tribute bands. Their music takes you back to your favorite seaside vacation, whether it was in the Caribbean, the Outer Banks, the Gulf of Mexico or Down the Shore. For more than ten years, Parrotbeach has been playing wherever the sea breeze takes them. Though Jimmy Buffett tunes are the largest part of their repertoire, other island music and party favorites round out their play list. The band members are comfortable with everything from rock to reggae, Motown, soul and swing. And it’s easy to see that these guys love their music.

“Bring the entire family for a delightful evening of music at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside,” said Freeholder Chairman Scanlon. “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 personnel from the Office of the Union County Sheriff and the K-9 Unit along with other knowledgeable Union County staff to answer questions and offer information about interesting programs and recreational activities that are available to Union County residents.

Sponsored by Union Center National Bank and the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the August 24 concert by Parrotbeach is free of charge. Lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets are encouraged. Refreshments and snacks will be available from vendors.

The Summer Arts Festival concert series will conclude on Wednesday, August 31, when The Nerds bring their high energy party music to Oak Ridge Park in Clark.

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 .

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the 2011 Teen Arts Traveling Exhibit is on display at the New Jersey Blood Center, located at 2279 South Avenue in Scotch Plains. The art work is on display through September 2nd during regular office hours.

The exhibit consists of 53 pieces of art selected from more than 700 visual art works shown at the 2011 Union County Teen Arts Festival held in March at Union County College in Cranford. The annual event is administered by the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Union County Department of Parks & Community Renewal.

“Each year I am amazed by the wonderful artwork submitted by local students,” said Freeholder Chairman Deborah P. Scanlon. “I encourage everyone to get out and see this fun, lively exhibit as it goes on tour throughout Union County.”

For information about the Teen Arts program, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth 07202; telephone (908) 558-2550. NJ Relay service users should call 711 or email culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

 

2011 TEEN ARTS EXHIBIT – The exhibiting students are:

Berkeley Heights

Columbia Middle School
Julia Young

 

Clark

Mother Seton Regional HS
Victoria Marples

 

Cranford
Cranford HS
Shannon Daly

Gina DeCagna
Hillside Avenue School
Allison Curley

Orange Avenue School
Louis Capucci

St. Michael School
Kyle Borokowski

 

Elizabeth
Abraham Lincoln School
Dianeth Hernandez

Benedictine Academy
Keyona Wright

Benjamin Franklin School
Juan Martinez

Charles Hudson School
Damaris Quezada

Dr. Orlando Edreira School
Jessica Arguera

Elizabeth HS – Dwyer House
Jorge Soto Soriano

Elizabeth HS – Edison House
Gustavo Perez

Elizabeth HS – Jefferson House
Andres Camargo
Christie Ramirez

Elizabeth HS – Lower Academy
Wislet Dazime

Elizabeth HS – Upper Academy
Danny Luca

Madison-Monroe School
Arianna Honore

Nicholas M. Butler School
Eunice Edmond

Nicholas S. LaCorte School
Jonathan Lopez

St. Mary of the Assumption
Carla Gomes

T.C. Reilly School
Sindy Chavarria

William F. Halloran School
Walter Casanas

Woodrow Wilson School
Joel Romero

 

 

Hillside
Hillside HS

Ambyr Szablowski

Walter O. Krumbiegel MS
Pinto & Campbell

 

 

Kenilworth
David Brearley HS
Samantha Hoag
Anthony Madonia

 

 

Linden
Linden HS
Jose Ferero

McManus MS
Clint Malakuskie

Soehl MS
Eduardo Plaza

 

Mountainside
Deerfield MS
Bea Collins

 

New Providence
New Providence HS
Lylah Dugan

New Providence MS
Lillian Cahill

 

 

 

 

 

Plainfield
Central Jersey Arts School

Silvia Alpapucho
Cook School
Carin Hardy

Hubbard MS
Jose Peña de Leon

Maxon MS
Caleah Atkinson

Plainfield Academy of Arts
Anthony Cancel

Union County TEAMS HS
Crystal Attidore

Union County TEAMS MS
Shaun Counts

 

Scotch Plains
Union County Vo-Tech
Camillo Castillo
LaJuan Miller

 

Springfield
FM Gaudineer MS
N. Adbullahu, M. Pisauro & 
N. Stanislawczyk

Jonathan Dayton HS
Farharah Mohamad

 

 

Summit
Oratory Preparatory School
Tyler Otterbein

 

Union
Union HS
Pamela Chuang
Andrea Garcia

 

 

Westfield
Edison Intermediate School
Catlin Collins

Roosevelt Intermediate School
Kevin Miller
Alyson Palia

 

 

 

Winfield
Winfield School
Joel Walters

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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 scores among highest in statewide poll of urban
counties in quality of life; residents least likely of all to move out

UNION COUNTY–Union County residents are happy with where they live and say their communities are safe. They rate their county’s cultural activities, public schools, and public transportation options as top notch. They rate their County as fifth best in providing job opportunities and are also the least likely to move from where they live, according to a statewide poll conducted by Monmouth University.

Overall, Union County scored 7th highest among all 21 New Jersey Counties in the Garden State Quality of Life index released this week by Monmouth University. In comparison to its urban neighbors, Union County doubled the score of Essex County, while also besting nearby Hudson, Middlesex and Passaic Counties in the index.

“This is an affirmation of quality of life initiatives that are central to this Board’s governing policy,” said Freeholder Chairman Deborah Scanlon, who pointed to improvements in public safety and homeland security, as well as improvements in parks, recreation and cultural affairs programming.

“We frequently talk about ‘having the right priorities’ for Union County,” Scanlon said. “Part of having the right priorities is the courage to resist making cuts in certain areas that would damage our quality of life.”

Union County has worked to preserve more than 300 acres of open space, recently open new parks in Berkeley Heights and Clark, and funded the renovation of dozens of athletic fields through its Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.

The County also worked to recently renovate the Union County Arts Center in Rahway, which has become a regional venue for world-class and local entertainment.

Union County maintains its popular Summer Arts Program that includes free movies in the parks, and free summer concerts, and marquee concert events such as Rhythm and Blues By The Brook in Plainfield, and the Union County Fair featuring MusicFest in Clark.

“Over and over again, the people who attend these events tell us how much they enjoy them and ask us to keep them going,” said County Manager Alfred Faella, a former Parks and Community Renewal Director. “In these times when more folks choose to take a ‘staycation’ or remain at home, public parks programming and recreation grow in importance.”

The County also continues to fully fund the Union County Prosecutor’s Office in its crack down on drugs, and gang violence throughout the area, while providing millions in Homeland Security funds to local first responders, including the County’s HAZMAT and SWAT team which responds in critical situations.

“By giving law enforcement agencies the staff support and the tools they need to fight crime, we have made Union County a safer place to live,” Scanlon said.

In efforts to bolster employment, Union County has also opened two state-of-the art One-Stop facilities, which offers employment training and referral services, in the eastern and western ends of the County.

The Freeholder Board, Scanlon added, has placed an emphasis on creating new jobs through economic development projects including the recently-opened Union County College Trinitas School for Nursing, and the soon-to-be opened parking deck/commercial facility in Midtown Elizabeth. The County also worked to retain Wakefern, one of the County’s largest employers, and assist it to expand and create dozens of new jobs.

At the same time, Freeholder Angel Estrada also credits the County’s success in developing its Shared Services initiative, which has saved millions through efforts to identify and execute governmental opportunities.

“We meet regularly with our municipal leaders to identify new areas, and improve efficiencies in current programs we are sharing,” said Estrada, who chairs the Freeholder Committee on Shared Services.

Some highlights have included:

• Fanwood Dispatch—Last year, the County announced it is providing emergency dispatch services to the Borough of Fanwood saving residents almost a quarter million dollars over a three-year period.  The Fanwood dispatch went “live” last September and the transition has been successful.  It is anticipated that use of this service will be expanded as several municipalities have already expressed interest in participating.
• EMS—through talks with municipalities, the County identified an urgent need to provide umbrella coverage during times of shortages and launched a pilot ambulance service to help local squads respond to emergencies when volunteer levels are low.

Union County, through its Union County Improvement Authority, also became one of the first counties statewide to launch a countywide Solar Energy project that will save local governments and municipalities on its energy bills.

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The Union County September 11 Memorial in Echo Lake Park honors the memory of all those affected by the attacks. It includes two girders from the World Trade Center (rear). A special ceremony will be held at the Memorial on Sunday, September 11 starting at 1:00 p.m. in recognition of the tenth anniversary of the attacks. To affirm the community values of service and giving, the New York Blood Center will hold a blood donation drive nearby from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (photo: Jim Lowney/County of Union).

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites members of the public to attend a special ceremony to honor the memory of the 60 Union County residents killed in the attacks of September 11, 2001, and to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the event. The ceremony will be held at the Union County September 11th Memorial in Echo Lake Park, in Mountainside, beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 11.

In conjunction with the ceremony, the New York Blood Center will conduct a blood drive near the Memorial from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

“We hope that the donation of blood – literally giving part of oneself for the sake of a perfect stranger – will be an experience that helps to knit the Union County community more closely together on the anniversary of this tragic day, strengthens our respect for all life, and reaffirms the value we place on freedom and liberty as universal human rights,” said Alexander Mirabella, Vice Chairman of the Freeholder Board.

The Union County September 11th Memorial is located near the Springfield Avenue entrance of Echo Lake Park on the border of Mountainside and Springfield. Dedicated on September 13, 2003, it was constructed through private donations including in-kind work by labor unions and materials at cost.

The names of the 60 deceased Union County residents are etched into the memorial. The memorial also honors all those affected in the multiple attacks,  through  design  elements  that  include  two  girders from the World

Trade Center arranged within a five-sided area representing the Pentagon, and an Eternal Flame representing those who died in Pennsylvania.

The Eternal Flame also honors the members of the Armed Services and emergency responders.

In addition to the ceremony at the Memorial, Echo Lake Park will host a display of 343 American flags from Friday, September 9 through Monday, September 12, 2011. The display is sponsored by the Union County Fire Chiefs’ Association to memorialize the 343 New York City firefighters who perished at the World Trade Center, and to honor the legacy of service that all firefighters continue to practice.

The Freeholder Board worked with residents of Cranford, Elizabeth, Kenilworth, Linden, Mountainside, Rahway, Scotch Plains, Summit, Union, and Westfield in planning and building the Union County September 11th Memorial.

 

Union County residents killed in the attacks of September 11, 2001:

 

Patrick Murphy, Berkeley Heights

Scott Hazelcorn, Berkeley Heights

James A. Nelson, Clark

Gregory Milanowycz, Cranford

Thomas Michael Regan, Cranford

Robert Henry Lynch, Cranford

Christopher Michael Grady, Cranford

Dean Philip Eberling, Cranford

Leonard Joseph Snyder, Jr., Cranford

Arcelia Castillo, Elizabeth

Carlos S. DaCosta, Elizabeth

Colleen Laura Fraser, Elizabeth

Margaret Susan Lewis, Elizabeth

Frankie Serrano, Elizabeth

Anthony Tempesta, Elizabeth

Robert Kaulfers, Kenilworth

John J. Tobin, Kenilworth

Wanda Anita Green, Linden

Anthony Infante, Mountainside

William Tselepis, Jr., New Providence

Gerard J. Coppola, New Providence

Richard A. Dunstan, New Providence

Michael Gogliormella, New Providence

Robert Wayne Hobson, III, New Providence

Susan D. Murray, New Providence

Tyrone May, Rahway

Manette Marie Beckles, Rahway

Mark Stephen Carney, Rahway

John G. Ueltzhoeffer, Roselle Park

Matthew Horning, Scotch Plains

Mark Rothenberg, Scotch Plains

James Walsh, Scotch Plains

JoAnn L. Heltibridle, Springfield

Lee Adler, Springfield

Thomas R. Clark, Summit

James Lee Connor, Summit

Kevin Raymond Crotty, Summit

Thomas I. Glasser, Summit

Robert A. Lawrence, Jr., Summit

A. Todd Rancke, Summit

Clive “Ian” Thompson, Summit

David Brian Brady, Summit

Mark Bruce, Summit

Robert Alan Hepburn, Union

Edward Calderon, Union

Khalid M. Shahid, Union

Charles Karczewski, Union

Brian Frederic Goldberg, Union

Thomas J. Fisher, Union

Wing-Wai Ching, Union

Bella Bhukhan, Union

Wayne Alan Russo, Union

Andrew J. Alameno, Westfield

Michael A. Davidson, Westfield

Stephen Mark Fogel, Westfield

Leo Russell Keene, III, Westfield

Richard B. Madden, Westfield

John “Pepe” Salerno, Jr., Westfield

See-Wong Shum, Westfield

Anthony Starita, Westfield

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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 Angel G Estrada (3rd L), Linda Carter and Christopher Hudak (2nd R) speak with (from left) Union County Police Capt. John White, Lt. Martin Mogensen and Union County Public Safety Director Andrew Moran (R) during the National Night Out event hosted by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders on August 2 in Meisel Park in Springfield. National Night Out, sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, is a campaign geared toward generating drug and crime awareness and prevention throughout the country.  (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, NJ – Union County residents are invited to join the Union County Master Trees Stewards and enjoy a series of guided educational walks through local forests this fall. The outings are part of the free training in trees and tree care that certified Master Tree Stewards receive from Rutgers Cooperative Extension experts.

The Union County Master Tree Stewards are part of the Extension 4-H youth program. Every year, Tree Stewards visit fourth grade classrooms throughout Union County to help youngsters learn about the importance of trees and their role in improving urban environments.

For the school visits, Tree Stewards use a classroom kit provided by the Extension. No teaching experience is necessary.

Tree Steward certification sessions are held on Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., for 13 weeks starting on September 7. Most of the training consists of guided walks in the Great Swamp, Rutgers Helyar Woods, the New Jersey Forestry Center in Jackson, and other local forests.

There are no exams, and up to three absences are permitted. Indoor sessions are located at the Extension offices in the Union County Building in Westfield, at 300 North Avenue, across the street from the Westfield Diner.

For an application or more information, contact 4-H Agent James Nichnadowicz at the Extension offices, 908-654-9854, or email nichnadowicz@unj.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.

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.

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Community Renewal are happy to announce the next evening of “Family Fun and Flix” – the free summer outdoor entertainment and film series – will include a classic car show before the Golden Globe Award-winning animated feature film “Cars” on Friday evening, August 19, at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside.

“Family Fun and Flix is a great way to enjoy a summer evening in one of Union County’s parks,” said Freeholder Chairman Deborah Scanlon. “The movie begins at dusk, but come early to the park to enjoy a display of classic automobiles. 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 car show before the movie.”

Come to Echo Lake Park at 7:00 p.m. on August 19 and enjoy a classic car show by G-Wiz Auto Entertainment and the Garden State Chevelles before watching the 2006 Disney/Pixar family film, “Cars.” At dusk, sit back with your popcorn and enjoy a comedy-adventure about a young racecar on the fast track to success. When he takes an unexpected detour on dusty Route 66, he learns what he’s been missing in his high-octane life. “Cars” features the voices of Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, George Carlin, Mario Andretti, the Tappet Brothers, and many others.

The next evening of Family Fun and Flix will be Friday, September 9 at Warinanco Park in Roselle/Elizabeth, co-sponsored by OneMain Financial. Enjoy a fun fishy craft project at 7:00 p.m. and free popcorn before the animated Disney/Pixar comedy-adventure, “Finding Nemo.”

Movies start 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 at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .