Category: Public Info

Mountainside NJ – Children entering the 3rd & 4th grades enjoyed the “Trailside Treks” camp which took daily hiking explorations through the Watchung Reservation with senior park naturalist Joe Filo, naturalist Leslie Whitty and assistant Simone Smith. Campers are pictured in front of the General Store in the Deserted Village of Feltville.

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Department of Parks and Community Renewal are pleased to announce a new and exciting season of summer camps and family programs at Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside.

“Trailside summer programs offer the perfect opportunity for adults and children to explore the outdoors while learning about nature,” said Freeholder Chairman Deborah Scanlon. “Each Trailside camp is filled with hands-on educational activities that encourage a child’s natural curiosity. Theme hikes, games and crafts are all part of the Trailside experience.”

Due to the popularity of Trailside’s summer programs, a lottery system will be used beginning Saturday, Feb. 12 and continuing through Friday, Feb. 25, or until all numbers are drawn. Union County residents may visit Trailside to draw a lottery number from noon – 5 p.m. daily. Proof of residency, such as a driver’s license, will be required to draw a number; only one number may be drawn per family/address. Registrants must pick their own lottery ticket for their family and each registrant’s name, address, lottery number and arrival time will be recorded when the lottery number is chosen. The number drawn will indicate the registrant’s position on line and the time of arrival for registration day, scheduled for Saturday, March 5.

Summer registration for Union County residents who have drawn a lottery ticket will begin at 8:00 a.m. on March 5. Registrants must bring their ticket with them to register and must be present when their number is called or their position in line will be forfeited. Each ticket holder may only register their child/family. If a registrant arrives after their number is called, but within their designated registration hour indicated on their lottery ticket, they may register at the end of the one-hour time block. If the registrant misses their one hour time block entirely, they may return at 4:30 p.m. to register. No exceptions will be made.

Registration for out-of-county participants will begin Monday, March 7, from noon – 4:45 p.m. Lottery tickets will not be required and registration will continue until all programs are filled.

Children, ages 4-5 can investigate popular topics like dinosaurs, Native Americans, turtles, birds, and kitchen chemistry in several half-day camp programs. Half-day and full-day camps are offered to children entering the first through ninth grade.

Children entering first and second grades will delight to travel “Around the World in Five Days” to learn about wildlife inhabiting five different continents, or they can use their imaginations to find out about “Mythical Creatures of Fields and Forests.” The “Junior Naturalist” program allows children entering the third and fourth grades an opportunity to learn about wetlands; while “Trailside Treks” will teach them to navigate the many hiking trails in the Watchung Reservation with a map and compass.

Visiting Sandy Hook to collect and identify fish, crabs, snails and other ocean creatures is a highlight of the “Ocean Wonders” camp for children entering fifth and sixth grades. Children entering seventh through ninth grades will have fun learning about various natural habitats in the Watchung Reservation in “Nature Treks.”

Family and evening programs provide an excellent opportunity for parents with children of all ages to enjoy the scenic Watchung Reservation. Evening theme hikes, campfires with sing-alongs, scavenger hunts and an overnight campout for beginner campers are just a sample of the numerous activities that families can look forward to this summer at Trailside.

For a description of Trailside’s 2011 Summer Camps, including registration procedures, please call Trailside at 908-789-3670 or visit us on the web at www.ucnj.org/trailside Summer brochures and registration cards will be distributed during the February lottery. 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.

The Union County Baseball Association will induct three new members into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame during award ceremonies on Sunday afternoon, February 13. The three inductees will be honored for their outstanding contributions to our national pastime on the baseball diamonds of Union County, New Jersey.

Robert Brewster of Westfield High School, Jack Byrnes of Union Catholic High School and American Legion Baseball, and Brian Sheekey of Roselle Catholic High School will be honored with induction into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame at the 75th Annual Hot Stove League Baseball Dinner on Feb. 13, which begins at 1:00 p.m. at the L’Affaire Banquet Center, 1099 Route 22 East, Mountainside. The dinner is sponsored by the Union County Baseball Association, in cooperation with the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal.

The special honoree at this year’s awards dinner will be James L. Iozzi of Scotch Plains, the long-time president of the Union County Baseball Association.

“We’re delighted to honor Jim Iozzi for his many years of dedication to the young ballplayers of Union County and to welcome three extremely deserving new members into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame,” said Freeholder Chairman Deborah Scanlon. “We hope that family members and friends of all the honorees will enjoy the Sunday afternoon ceremonies and support youth baseball in Union County.”

In addition to the new Hall of Fame inductees, the Hot Stove League Baseball Dinner also will honor young athletes from local baseball leagues for their achievements in 2010.

Tickets for the dinner are $40.00, with proceeds going to help fund the Union County Summer Youth Baseball League for youngsters 8 to 15 years, and the Fall Teen League.

Since 1937, the Hot Stove League Dinner has been the primary fund-raising effort for the Union County Baseball Association’s summer and fall programs. Over the years, the awards dinner has honored many local and national baseball luminaries – including Phil Rizzuto of Hillside, Don Newcombe of Elizabeth, Joe Collins of Union, Jeff Torborg of Mountainside, Willie Wilson of Summit, Jake Wood of Elizabeth, and Elliott Maddox of Union.

Tickets for the 75th Annual Union County Baseball Association Hot Stove League Dinner on Feb. 13th are available for $40 and may be obtained by calling (908) 789-3686.

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

Union County Freeholder Chairman Deborah Scanlon (C) and (from left) Freeholders Christopher Hudak, Bette Jane Kowalski and Daniel Sullivan present a check from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders to the 2011 Union County St. Patrick’s Day Parade General Chairwoman Marylou Lenahan (3rd R), Adjutant Kathryn Noonan-Rotando and Grand Marshal David Bell at the parade committee’s Celebrity Bartenders party in Kenilworth. The 2011 Union County St. Patrick’s Day Parade steps off at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 12 on Morris Avenue in Union. For more information please visit www.unioncountystpatricksdayparade.com (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

No injuries or accidents reported, horses all safe,
state roadway closed for a half hour before 9 a.m.

MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ—Union County employees this morning implemented a fast and safe rescue of 18 horses who became panicked by a seemingly random occurrence, broke through a locked gate at the Watchung Stable, and galloped onto Route 22 West in Mountainside off Summit Road.

No one was injured and there were no traffic accidents. The horses–all County owned—are in good condition and are all safely back at the stable. The incident caused a half-hour shutdown before 9 a.m. of a half-mile of roadway on Route 22 in both eastbound and westbound lanes, stretching from Summit Road to Evergreen Court in Mountainside, County Police reported.

“This was an incident that —thanks to the calm and concerted efforts of our County workers—ended without accident and injury to civilians or our horses,” said Freeholder Daniel P. Sullivan, who monitors events at the stable. “All involved in the rescue—Parks, Stable, County Police, Emergency Management and surrounding municipal police departments— did a great job.”

County Manager George W. Devanney agreed.

“An extraordinary effort and outstanding coordination brought about a happy and safe ending,” Devanney added.

County Police Chief Daniel Vaniska said the incident that caused the horses to become frightened and burst through a locked gate appears to be an unknown but likely, random occurrence. He did note that it was the first time in recent memory that so many horses had escaped at one time during the nearly 80-year history of the County-operated Stable.

The horses fortuitously turned westbound in their sprint onto Route 22 West from Summit Road and never jumped over the median to the eastbound side. In all, they were free for approximately a half hour before roundup could be fully executed.

According to County authorities, some unknown incident caused 18 of 20 horses who were enjoying their normal morning outdoor time in the fenced paddocks area to become frightened, and burst through a locked gate around 8:15 a.m.

Fast-acting Stable employees immediately called County police who assisted them as they coordinated a dramatic rescue of the frightened horses who had quickly galloped their way in a pack from the paddock onto the main road, Summit Lane in the Watchung Reservation.

The horses turned left on Summit Lane, and then made a right at Summit Road, which leads directly to Route 22 West from the Reservation. The horses galloped about 2 miles from home before round up could peacefully start around 8:45 a.m.

The horses, reportedly among the elders at the stable, were rounded up in three groups and quietly walked back home by 9 a.m. They were wrapped with fresh blankets and dried off. They have been checked by a veterinarian, and it appears they are all ok, Parks Director Alfred Faella reported.

Located in the Mountainside section of the Watchung Reservation, the Watchung Stable has been owned and operated by the County of Union since 1933. Its goal is to provide the opportunity to learn how to ride, enhance equestrian skills or just enjoy the natural beauty of the 26 miles of bridle paths that weave through the Reservation, a 2,000-acre forest preserve.

The Watchung Stable complex consists of a main barn which houses more than 90 County and privately owned horses, four riding rings, and a show ring. In addition, this state-of-the-art, barrier-free facility includes an isolation barn, numerous paddocks, hay and straw storage area and an equipment garage.

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PLAINFIELD, NJ – History will come alive in Union County during Black History Month with the presentation of “Quakers, African Americans and Racial Justice: In the Lead Up to the Civil War” at the Plainfield Quaker Meeting House. Developed in collaboration with the Rahway and Plainfield Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, the event is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders through the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Department of Parks and Community Renewal. The program will take place on Saturday, February 5, from 9:15 a.m. – 12 noon at the Meeting House, 225 Watchung Avenue, Plainfield, NJ 07060.

“We are pleased to sponsor such an interesting program at the start of Black History Month, featuring three knowledgeable presenters: Roger Dreisbach-Williams, Richard T. Irwin, and Vanessa Julye,” said Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Union County Cultural and Heritage Programs Advisory Board. “And the historic Plainfield Quaker Meeting House, built around 1788, is the perfect setting for this informative presentation.”

Vanessa Julye, a self-described Friend of Color in the Religious Society of Friends, is the co-author of Fit for Freedom, Not Friendship (Quaker Press, 2009) along with Donna McDaniel. The authors document three centuries of Quakers committed to ending racial injustices yet, with few exceptions, hesitant to invite African Americans into their Society. Ms. Julye graduated from Westtown School, a Friends boarding school, and earned her B.A. from Temple University in Philadelphia.

Richard T. Irwin received his B.A. from Lebanon Valley College and his M.A. from Temple University. He is the editor of History of Randolph Township (1976) and historiographer of the Friends Meeting House and Cemetery Association of Randolph Township, New Jersey.

Roger Dreisbach-Williams has been a member of the Rahway and Plainfield Monthly Meeting for almost 30 years. He has a keen interest in history and has made numerous presentations on the history of the meeting and the witness of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

At the end of the presentations, there will be a guided tour of the Plainfield Meeting House and the historic burial grounds located at the back of the house. Light refreshments will be served.

This public history program is funded in part by a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division in the Department of State.

The registration fee is $10.00. To register or to request a program brochure, contact the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202. Telephone 908-558-2550. NJ Relay users dial 711. Or E-mail: culturalinfo@ucnj.org Assistive services will be made available if requested two weeks in advance.

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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 .

Attention caregivers, do you feel tired? Are you overwhelmed and stressed? Caring for a loved one can bring on those feelings. You are not alone. Become a part of the Caregiver & Alzheimer’s Family Support Group at RUNNELLS Specialized Hospital of Union County in Berkeley Heights. Get together with others who share your difficulties and receive the reassurance as well as the knowledge that is found in a support group.

The group’s meetings, which are open to the public, are held in Room C318 on the third floor at RUNNELLS on the third Thursday of each month from 1 to 2 p.m. The meetings, facilitated by Liz Carabuena, L.S.W., a RUNNELLS Specialized Hospital licensed social worker, are free of charge for all attendees.

“If you are a caregiver, meet with others in similar situations,” said Union County Freeholder Mohamed S. Jalloh, Freeholder liaison to RUNNELLS Specialized Hospital. The Caregiver & Alzheimer’s Family Support Group at RUNNELLS shares information on dementia related diseases and available resources, researches updates, discusses practical care techniques and presents new ways to cope on a day-to-day basis. An especially important part of the meeting is the time set aside for participants to discuss the frustrations they feel in caring for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.”

RUNNELLS Specialized Hospital of Union County sponsors the meetings in conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Association – Greater New Jersey Chapter, an organization whose mission is to enhance care and support for individuals, their families and caregivers, and to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research.

The Caregiver & Alzheimer’s Family Support Group at RUNNELLS’ schedule for 2011 follows:

February 17, March 17, April 21, May 19, June 16, July 21, August 18, September 15, October 20, November 17 and December 15.

RUNNELLS, Central New Jersey’s premier provider of care for individuals with dementia, also provides long-term, short-term, post acute, palliative and respite care in their nursing care center.

The facility is located at 40 Watchung Way, Berkeley Heights. Anyone who would like further information on this wheelchair accessible program or if you would like to attend, call 908-771-5828.

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ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit called “Art from the Heart” at the Freeholders Gallery, located on the 6th floor of the Union County Administration Building, Elizabethtown Plaza at Rahway Avenue, Elizabeth. The visual art is on display until January 28 and the gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and also on Thursday evenings. Admission is free.

The show features watercolor paintings, mixed media, and drawings in graphite, color pencils, soft pastels and markers, created by adult artists who are participants in the “Art from the Heart” program. Now on its tenth year, the program is a partnership between the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey and SAGE Eldercare in Summit, NJ. Led by instructor Sandy Frank, the program encourages self-expression and increases self-esteem by recapturing the joy of creativity which helps keep participants’ minds sharp.

The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is the state’s largest institution dedicated exclusively to viewing, making and learning about contemporary art. Comprised of a renowned studio art school with a thriving educational program, the Art Center welcomes over 60,000 visitors each year. Its service mission includes a commitment to creating access to the arts for a range of constituents, including at-risk children and youth, people with special needs, and senior adults.

SAGE Eldercare, also located in Summit, supports the independence, well-being and quality of life of older adults, their families and caregivers through a wide range of programs and services that assist seniors in the challenges they face during the later stages of life.

“Art from the Heart” is made possible in part by a H.E.A.R.T. (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. The Freeholders Gallery is coordinated by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs. For further information about this exhibit and other programs and services related to the arts and Union County history, contact the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at 633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202, telephone 908-558-2550 or e-mail:culturalinfo@ucnj.org

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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/countyofunionnj .

Men and women who enjoy the game of softball can earn extra money in their spare time by becoming certified Amateur Softball Association softball umpires. The Greater Union County ASA Softball Umpires Association, in cooperation with the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Union County Department of Parks and Community Renewal, will conduct its annual softball umpires training program beginning Tuesday, February 22.

The training classes will take place from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday evenings from Feb. 22 through March 29 at the Union County Administration Building in Elizabeth. The cost of this six-week umpiring course is $150.00. The classes are open to men and women, 18 years of age and older, who are interested in umpiring softball games.

For more information and registration details, please contact the Union County, New Jersey, Amateur Softball Association office of Keith Benovengo at 908-313-0983, email: commissioner@asasoftballucnj.org or Bill Smith at 908-259-0154, email: willsmith43@comcast.net; or you can log on to: www.asasoftballucnj.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 .

Superior Court Assignment Judge Karen Cassidy administers the oath of office to Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi during the county’s 154th annual reorganization meeting on January 9 at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. The County Clerk’s sons, Andrew Pappas (L) and Peter-Anthony Pappas, hold the Bible. (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

Plainfield Municipal Judge Joan Robinson Gross administers the oath of office to Union County Freeholder Linda Carter of Plainfield during the county’s 154th annual reorganization meeting on January 9 at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. Holding the Bible is the Freeholder Carter’s mother, Adele Carter. (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