Category: Public Info

ATLANTA –The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today the opening of Business Recovery Centers in New Jersey.  These Centers will provide one-on-one assistance to business owners seeking disaster assistance for losses caused by Hurricane Irene that occurred between Aug. 27 and Sept. 5.

“Businesses with physical damages or loss of revenue should seriously consider visiting a Center and applying for an SBA disaster business loan,” said SBA District Director Al Titone. “SBA’s disaster loans provide a way to help businesses get back in operation and the low interest rate and terms help make them more affordable than other types of financing.” To date, SBA has approved over $28 million in disaster loans to New Jerseyeans with disaster related losses to their homes, personal property and businesses.

All Centers will open Tuesday, Oct. 11 and remain open until further notice, at the following locations and times:

Union County:

New Jersey Small Business Development Center (NJSBDC) at Kean University-Incubator
320 Park Avenue
Plainfield, NJ, 07060
Open: Tues, Oct. 11, 2011 at 9 a.m.
Hours: Mon. – Fri. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Bergen County:

NJSBDC at Bergen Community College
355 Main Street
Hackensack, NJ 07601
Open:  Tues. Oct. 11, 2011 at 9 a.m.
Hours:  Mon. – Fri. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monmouth County:

Monmouth County OEM
300 Halls Mills Road–Freehold, NJ 07728
Open:  Tues. Oct. 11, 2011 at 8:30 a.m.
Hours: Mon.- Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Passaic County

Woodland Park Municipal Building–Community Room
5 Brophy Lane–Woodland Park, NJ 07424
Open: Tues, Oct. 11, 2011 at 8:30 a.m.
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

SBA’s Customer Service Representatives will be on hand at the Centers to issue loan applications, answer questions about the disaster loan program, explain the application process and assist business owners in completing their applications.  Also, SBDC Counselors are available to assist business complete their application package.

Businesses and non-profit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

The SBA may increase a loan up to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage to real estate and/or leasehold improvements, as verified by SBA, to make improvements that lessen the risk of property damage by future disasters of the same kind.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private non-profit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster.  Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

To obtain additional assistance call, the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 
(800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.   Those affected by the disaster may also apply for disaster loans electronically from SBA’s website athttps://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is October 31, 2011.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is May 31, 2012.

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For more information about the SBA’s Disaster Loan Program, visit our website at www.sba.gov.

Members of the Union County Paratransit team accepted the award for Outstanding System of the Year from the New Jersey Council on Special Transportation (left-right: Michael Staley, Area Vice President, Veolia Transportation; Karen Dinsmore, Assistant Director, UCDHS; Kathleen Carmello, Paratransit Director, UCDHS; Melvin Barkley, Project Manager, Veolia Transportation; Helen Kirsch, Assistant Paratransit Director, UCDHS; Diego Jimenez, Mechanics Helper; Anissia Mitchell, Operations Manager, Veolia Transportation; Carl Simpkins, Assistant Project Manager, Veolia Transportation; Joseph Haligowski, Supervising Mechanic; Thomas Tiplady, Mechanic.

Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to announce that the county’s Paratransit System has been honored with the Outstanding System of the Year Award from the New Jersey Council on Special Transportation. The Paratransit System helps seniors and those with disabilities remain independent, by providing affordable transportation for medical services, shopping, education, adult day care centers, and recreation.

“The Paratransit System is a vital lifeline that helps thousands of Union County residents take care of their daily needs and stay connected with their communities,” said Freeholder Chairman Deborah Scanlon. “This award represents an outstanding service to the public by the entire Paratransit team, and on behalf of the Freeholder Board I would like to thank each and every one.”

The Union County Paratransit System operates out of the Department of Human Services. It was created in 1979 by bringing together the transportation services of several non-profit agencies under one umbrella to better serve the needs of the senior and disabled residents of the county.

In its earlier years, Paratransit had a fleet of 18 vehicles making 86,000 trips annually. The need has grown since then and the fleet now includes 52 vehicles, which make approximately 232,000 trips annually.

The System of the Year Award recognizes that every aspect of a Paratransit system is working together effectively. That includes administration, funding, maintenance, scheduling, and vehicle operation.

“Paratransit’s on-time record is 97.2 percent, which is quite an achievement given the traffic density in Union County,” said Scanlon.

The vehicles are owned and maintained by Union County, which also provides administrative services.  The reservationists, schedulers and drivers are provided under a private contract currently held by Veolia Transportation.

“Veolia’s rigorous training programs cover the drivers and the customer service staff, and the County manages an aggressive vehicle maintenance program.  Together, we share the mission of providing an efficient transportation service that improves the quality of life for County residents,” said Human Services Director Frank Guzzo.

In addition to its core mission, Paratransit fills other important transportation needs in Union County. Currently it runs a shuttle designed to improve pedestrian safety on a stretch of Route 22 between Union, Kenilworth and Springfield, and a shuttle that helps connect more County residents with guidance and employment services at the county’s One-Stop Career Center in Plainfield.

Paratransit has also been called upon to fill temporary needs for municipalities. In one recent example, Paratransit provided a shuttle to help rail commuters avoid a 3.5 mile detour while a new bridge at the Summit/New Providence border was constructed.

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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

RAHWAY, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders will sponsor a Household Hazardous Waste Collection event on Saturday, October 29, so Union County residents can get rid of outdated or unwanted household chemicals, mercury thermostats, propane tanks, and automobile tires in an environmentally safe manner. The collection will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at a new location: the Rahway Intermediate School, located at the corner of Madison Avenue and Westfield Avenue in Rahway.

All residents of Union County are eligible to participate at no cost. Pre-registration is not required for this special Saturday collection.

“The special household waste recycling program for Union County residents is particularly important as we become more aware of the need for proper disposal of hazardous items that are found around the home,” said Freeholder Chairman Deborah Scanlon. “The result of our effort is safer homes and a cleaner environment for our families and our neighbors.”

All that residents need to do is drive to the site with their household special waste, propane tanks, automobile tires, and mercury thermostats. Workers at the site will unload the vehicles.

“Household special waste” includes oil-based paint and varnish, antifreeze, aerosol cans, pool chemicals, corrosives, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, thinners, fire extinguishers, motor oil and oil filters, gasoline, batteries, thermostats, fluorescent bulbs (unbroken), blood pressure devices, and mercury switches. Only materials in original or labeled containers will be accepted. No containers larger than five gallons will be accepted.

Latex (water-based) paint and empty cans will not be accepted. They should be disposed of in with the regular garbage. Leftover latex paint can be air-dried or, to hasten the drying process, kitty litter and/or newspaper can be added to hasten the drying.

“This is a great opportunity to recycle up to eight tires and dispose of old chemical containers that are cluttering up the basement or the garage, or taking up space under the kitchen sink,” said Freeholder Christopher Hudak, liaison to the Union County Solid Waste Advisory Council. “Our homes become safer once they are rid of hazardous and combustible waste.”

There is a limit of eight automobile tires (without rims) per household. This is a household recycling event. No businesses, please.

Union County, in partnership with Covanta Energy, also includes mercury thermostats in its household waste recycling initiative. The mercury thermostat program complements the County’s efforts to collect household pollutants and divert mercury from the regional waste stream in order to help safeguard our water and air quality. What’s more, residents will receive a $5 gift certificate to Home Depot for turning in a mercury thermostat at the Oct. 29 recycling event.

“Our partnership with Covanta allows us to extend our efforts to pursue environmentally sound methods of waste disposal,” Freeholder Hudak added.

A complete list of the materials that will be accepted on Oct. 29 is available at the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning web site: www.ucnj.org/recycle

The household hazardous waste collection will be held rain or shine, for Union County residents only and not for businesses. Proof of Union County residency is required. For more information, please call the Recycling Hotline at (908) 654-9889.

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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 Clerk Joanne Rajoppi displays a “Vote By Mail” ballot application. Eligible voters may apply for a Vote By Mail ballot in person at the Clerk’s offices in Westfield or Elizabeth, receive their ballot and cast the ballot at the same time. The Westfield Annex at 300 North Avenue East, Westfield, is open 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays. The Elizabeth office at the Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, Room 113, Elizabeth, is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Voters also may obtain an application form at their local municipal building or at the County Clerk’s website: www.ucnj.org/government/county-clerk/vote-by-mail. For more information, contact the Union County Clerk at 908-527-4996. (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 athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – The County of Union will sponsor a recycling event for electronic equipment and unwanted paper documents on Saturday, Oct. 22, so Union County residents can get rid of unwanted computers, televisions and other electronic equipment, and shred old personal documents in a secure and environmentally proper manner.

The special recycling event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Alcatel-Lucent Technologies facility, 600 Mountain Avenue, New Providence 07974.

All residents of Union County are eligible to participate at no cost. There is a limit of six electronic items and/or four bags/boxes of paper per car.

“Computer monitors and old televisions are the source of a considerable amount of lead – about five pounds per screen,” said Freeholder Christopher Hudak, liaison to the Union County Solid Waste Advisory Board. “Up to 95 percent of most electronic appliances can be recycled. This is a responsible way to keep hazardous heavy metals out of our environment.”

Electronic equipment that will be accepted on Oct. 22 includes computer monitors, hard drives, modems, keyboards, CPU’s, mice, printers, scanners, speakers, televisions, VCR’s, fax machines, telephones, and circuit boards.

All that residents need to do is drive to the site with their electronic equipment and unwanted personal documents. Workers at the site will unload the vehicles. Pre-registration is not required for this special collection.

Refrigerators, washers and dryers, microwaves, and air conditioners will not be accepted.

A complete list of the materials that will be accepted on Oct. 22 is available at the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning website: www.ucnj.org/recycle .

The electronics collection will be held rain or shine, for Union County residents only and not for businesses. Proof of Union County residency is required.

In addition to the special Oct. 22 electronics recycling event sponsored by the County of Union, there are other local opportunities for residents to recycle electronic equipment. Visit www.ucnj.org/recycle for more computer and electronics recycling options.

The Oct. 22 paper-shredding event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine. The shredding event will end before 2:00 p.m. if the shredding truck reaches capacity.

“Union County’s mobile document-shredding service helps residents eliminate clutter in their homes and also fight identity theft,” said Freeholder Chairman Deborah Scanlon. “It is a cost-effective way to assist our recycling efforts and it ties in with our other Go Green Initiatives.”

All Union County residents are eligible to use the personal document paper-shredding service. In an effort to accommodate all participants, there is a limit of four boxes/bags per person. Documents should not be bound. Please remove plastic binders and paperclips. Residents should 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 put through the shredder. 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 mobile shredding program is paid for through funds from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Recycling Enhancement Act Grant Funds.

Shredding may be cancelled in the event of extreme bad weather. Please call the Recycling Hotline for more information about future events, directions, or event day cancellation at 908-654-9889 or visit us online atwww.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 .

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Community Renewal invite you to explore the fascinating world of rocks, minerals, fossils and gems at Trailside Nature & Science Center on Saturday, Oct. 15, from noon to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“This two-day event is a great opportunity to discover the exciting world of geology,” said Freeholder Chairman Deborah Scanlon. “Visitors will be able to watch gemstones being cut and polished, see unique specimens of rocks and minerals, and be dazzled on Sunday by the ‘Dinosaurs Rock’ show.”

Geologists, young and old, will be mesmerized by the variety of rocks, minerals, fossils and gemstones on display and for sale. Admission both days is free.

On Saturday, vendors will be displaying and selling their specimens. On Sunday, there will be ongoing demonstrations of gemstone cutting and polishing, children’s activities and a specialist will be available to help you identify minerals, rocks and fossils from your own collection.

Sunday also will feature a special presentation of “Dinosaurs Rock” in the Trailside Visitor Center Auditorium at 1:30 and 3: 30 p.m. “Dinosaurs Rock” is an interactive hands-on program that allows the audience to see up-close and touch museum quality pieces. Admission to this special presentation is $5 per person. This show is recommended for ages 4 and older and tickets go on sale at 12:30 p.m. Strollers are not permitted in the auditorium.

This educational, entertaining hands-on dinosaur and fossil adventure will allow the audience to experience prehistoric times like never before. It’s an opportunity to see and touch genuine, life-size museum quality specimens that are millions of years old. Highlights include dinosaur eggs, footprints, teeth, a life-size T-Rex skull and a 9-foot high Ice Age mastodon leg. For a nominal fee, children also can dig like a real paleontologist for genuine fossils, pan for gemstones such as amethyst, emeralds and rubies, and open crystal-filled geodes.

Sponsored jointly with the New Jersey Mineralogical Society, the Rock, Gem & Mineral Show on Oct. 15-16 will host more than 25 vendors selling minerals, rocks, gems, jewelry, sea shells and fossils from around the world.

For more information about the Rock, Mineral & Gem Show, or upcoming programs and special events at Trailside, call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside Nature and Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road (at Coles Avenue) in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – “Dinosaurs Rock” is a feature presentation on Sunday, Oct. 16, at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. during the two-day Rock, Mineral & Gem Show at Trailside Nature & Science Center.  The exciting hands-on program is a prehistoric paradise with museum pieces that the audience is allowed to touch. Highlights include this life-size T-Rex skull, plus dinosaur eggs, footprints, teeth, and a 9-foot high Ice Age mastodon leg. “Dinosaurs Rock” is recommended for ages 4 and older. Admission is $5 per person. Tickets go on sale at 12:30 p.m. on the day of the show.  Admission is free to the Rock, Mineral & Gem Show which is open Saturday from noon – 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. with more than 25 vendors selling rocks, minerals, gems and fossils from around the world. Trailside is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a service of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. For additional information call 908-789-3670 or visit us on the web: www.ucnj.org/trailside.

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 – A new grant of $2,500 from the Investors Bank Foundation will be used for curriculum enhancements at Union County Vo-Tech Schools’ Academy for Information Technology. The school was named among the nation’s top 500 high schools in by Newsweek in a survey earlier this year, and it was recently named among the best schools for math and science by U.S. News & World Report.

“On behalf of the Freeholder Board, I would like to thank the Investors Bank Foundation for their generous support,” said Union County Freeholder Chairman Deborah P. Scanlon. “Our Union County Vo-Tech Schools excel because of the close connection between all of the stakeholders – students, faculty, administration, family, and community.”

The grant will be used to purchase classroom materials including software that simulates marketing, operations, finance, risk management and all other factors that go into running a business.

“A vital part of our mission is to prepare our students to make a positive contribution to their communities, and this grant from Investors Bank Foundation has provided them with a wonderful model to follow,” said Dr. Thomas J. Bistocchi, Superintendent of Vo-Tech Schools.

The Academy for Information Technology is one of five high schools on the Union County Vo-Tech Schools campus, located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains.

The other four schools are the Academy for Performing Arts, Academy for Allied Health Sciences, Union County Vo-Tech School, and Magnet High School, which was also named in Newsweek’s list of top 500 high schools and was named among the best math and science schools by U.S. News & World Report.

The Investors Bank Foundation supports non-profit organizations that enrich the quality of life in the communities served by Investors Bank, which is headquartered in Short Hills.

The nationally recognized Academy for Information Technology, one of Union County’s five vo-tech high schools, has received a $2,500 grant from the Investors Bank Foundation to enhance classroom materials. (Photo credit: Union County Vo-Tech Schools)

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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 atwww.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

Union County, NJ — The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to announce that Magnet High School and The Academy for Information Technology (AIT) have gained national recognition for academic excellence in a new “Best High Schools for Math and Science” survey from US News & World Report. Both schools are part of the Union County Vo-Tech school district.

The schools were two out of only five county vo-tech schools in New Jersey that made the Best High Schools for Math and Science list.

“Given that Magnet and AIT are relatively new schools, this achievement is all the more exceptional, and it demonstrates the deep level of commitment by students, faculty and staff from all of our Vo-Tech schools,” said Deborah Scanlon, Chairman of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. “This is a very proud day Union County.”

“Throughout our campus, we strive to create an atmosphere of community endeavor that supports and encourages each student to do their best,” said Dr. Thomas Bistocchi, Superintendent of Union County Vo-Tech Schools. “This is an outstanding recognition for Magnet and AIT, and it reflects well on the entire Vo-Tech student body.”

The survey analyzed only the top 208 schools in the country, which had been culled from a previously compiled list of 598 outstanding schools.

Rankings for the 208 finalists were based on student participation and achievement in Advanced Placement courses that prepare students for advanced degrees and careers in the demanding “STEM” fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“The Vo-Tech mission is to help Union County residents prepare for productive careers, and these technology-related skills are highly valued now more than ever,” said Chairman Scanlon. “The county vo-tech schools system here in New Jersey is truly a community endeavor, in which we all contribute to help the next generation build a stronger economy.”

Earlier this year, Magnet and AIT along with a third new relatively new school on the Vo-Tech campus, the Academy for Allied Health Sciences, were all included in Newsweek’s list of top 500 public high schools in the nation.

Another new school on the Vo-Tech Campus, the Academy for Performing Arts, prepares students for performance and technical careers in the metro region’s important entertainment industry. It opened after the cutoff date for inclusion in the Newsweek list.

Vo-Tech’s fifth school, Vo-Tech High School, helps students to advance their skills in traditional careers as well as emerging high-demand fields such as electric vehicles.

Two Union County Vo-Tech high schools, Magnet High School and the Academy for Information Technology, were named among the best in the nation for math and science in a recent US News & World Report survey.  (photo: Union County Vo-Tech Schools)

More information about Union County Vo-Tech Schools is available atwww.ucvts.tec.nj.us/ucvts.

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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 atwww.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj

The Union County annual public history event, “Four Centuries in a Weekend: A Journey through Union County’s History,” will take place Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 16 from noon to 5 p.m. Free events will take place over the weekend at 24 locations throughout Union County.

“Four Centuries in a Weekend began in 1994 when 16 historic sites and the County of Union organized a weekend event to tell the story of how Elizabethtown of 1664 evolved into the 21 municipalities of today’s Union County,” said Freeholder Chairman Deborah Scanlon. “Whether you’re a curious first-time visitor or a long-time neighbor, we hope you enjoy your journey through our history.”

Five of the 24 historic sites open for free tours during Four Centuries in a Weekend will feature special activities developed in observance of the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War. For eye-opening outdoor history tours visit Evergreen Cemetery in Hillside and the Rahway Cemetery at Merchants and Drovers Tavern Museum, the final resting places for hundreds of New Jersey Civil War soldiers and sailors. Visitors are reminded to look for the letters “USCT,” for United States Colored Troops, on the grave markers of many forgotten African American soldiers and sailors.

In honor of Cranford’s Civil War veterans, the Crane-Phillips House Museum will present an encampment of re-enactors of Company D, 2nd Rhode Island Volunteers. Visit the Roselle Park Museum and experience the lives and loves of local Civil War veterans through an exhibit featuring portraits of Union and Confederate military leaders, pictures of battle scenes, copies of photos by renowned 19th century photographer Matthew Brady, documents and memorabilia pertaining to the war. Travel to the Cannon Ball House in Springfield and view an exhibit of Civil War artifacts and a collection of letters between a Civil War soldier, Sergeant Wellington Briant, and his family.

There is plenty more history to discover at the remaining Four Centuries in a Weekend historic sites, including:

First Presbyterian Church of Elizabeth and burial ground, the first English-speaking congregation in New Jersey; 

Boxwood Hall in Elizabeth, residence of Elias Boudinot, President of the Continental Congress (1782-83), and Jonathan Dayton, one of four New Jersey signers of the United States Constitution in 1787;

Liberty Hall Museum in Union, home to William Livingston, the first Governor of New Jersey;

The beautifully restored Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway;

Five authentic farmhouses: Dr. William Robinson Plantation Museum in Clark, Woodruff House/Eaton Store Museum in Hillside, Salt Box Museum in New Providence, the Carter House in Summit, and Miller-Cory House Museum in Westfield;

Four American Revolutionary Front Line sites: Drake House Museum in Plainfield, Abraham Clark House in Roselle, Osborn Cannonball House in Scotch Plains, and Caldwell Parsonage in Union;

Pre- and post-Civil War early commerce and industry related sites: Deserted Village of Feltville-Glenside Park in Berkeley Heights, Woodruff House/Eaton Store Museum in Hillside, and the Oswald J. Nitschke House in Kenilworth;

Historic countryside sites including Twin Maples and Reeves Reed Arboretum in Summit; Summit Playhouse; Deacon Andrew Hetfield House in Mountainside; the Drake House Museum in Plainfield; and the Deserted Village of Feltville-Glenside Park in Berkeley Heights.

“Four Centuries in a Weekend” is made possible by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.

For this self-guided journey, free copies of the Historic Sites Tour booklets containing brief descriptions of the sites and illustrated maps can be obtained by contacting the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs and the historic sites. Telephone: 908-558-2550 weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. NJ Relay Users can call 711. Or E-mail: Culturalinfo@ucnj.org. The contact information is the same for schools and other groups requesting lesson plans and activity kits.

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For more information about 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 .

Speakers include Elizabeth Bettina, author of “It Happened in Italy,” Italian American ONE VOICE President Andre’ DiMino, Freeholder Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella, County Surrogate James LaCorte, County Manager Al Faella, and UNICO District X Governor Robert Bengivenga

Elizabeth, NJ—Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella today announced the County’s third Annual Columbus Day Flag Raising event is set for Friday, October 7th, at 1:30 p.m. on the steps of the historic Union County Courthouse.

David Toma, a resident of Clark, dubbed by the Daily News as the “greatest policeman alive” will deliver the keynote address. Toma has received 2,000 awards and numerous honorary PH Ds throughout his career that has resulted in two popular TV series about him — “Toma” starring Tony Musante and “Baretta” with Robert Blake. He’s also written seven books and numerous others have been written about him, some in places as far as Japan.

Elizabeth Bettina, author of the book, “It happened in Italy: Untold Stories of How the People of Italy Defied the Horrors of the Holocaust,” will speak about the lesser known story of Italians and the Catholic Church which worked to save the lives of many Jewish refugees during World War II.

Other speakers include Andre’ DiMino, President of the Italian American One Voice Coalition, which has led the fight against “Jersey Shore,” Union County Surrogate James LaCorte–who was nominated as man of the year by the Elizabeth Chapter of UNICO, Union County Manager Al Faella, and UNICO District X Governor Robert Bengivenga.

Freeholder Mirabella will host and emcee the event. The Courthouse is located at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth at the corner of Rahway Avenue. In the event of rain, the program will be moved in doors to the County Courthouse Rotunda.

“Italian Americans continue to make amazing contributions to America, and we celebrate those contributions as well as a culture that has made the greatest contributions to modern society,” said Mirabella, whose father, Gene, was the first Italian American Police Chief of Elizabeth, NJ. The Union County Sheriff’s Firearm Training Facility is named in his honor.

UNICO District X and the County of Union works with Plainfields’ UNICO to organize and co-sponsor the event.

Italian-style refreshments will be served after the event in the historic Union County Courthouse.

Parking (pay) is available in the Midtown area at Elizabeth’s Parking Deck #6 on Jefferson Avenue and Dickinson Street—the entrance is on Dickinson Street. A second deck is also close at the Midtown Train Station entrance on W. Grand Street.

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