Monday, November 12, 2012
Power outages hurt financially, but are also painful mentally and emotionally.
- NEWS
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Monday, November 12, 2012
In Parsippany, the devastation seemed to know no bounds. Hurricane Sandy struck the area with force, knocking out electricity–at one point–for more than half the town. With that kind of widespread impact, a toll was taken on residents in many ways. First, the ability to purchase fuel became a problem, as gas stations were closed. And when they opened, consumers waited in mile-long lines for hours, often only to be snubbed at the last second. Then came the lack of classes. School buildings in town were without power for a full two weeks, keeping children at home. For some, childcare became necessary while others lost a bit of sanity with kids running up the walls. And further effect will be felt should kids lose some of their spring or …
How do you think the township is doing?
- PUBLIC SAFETY
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Monday, November 12, 2012
It's been about two weeks since Hurricane Sandy came ashore to wreak havoc on the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills and the tri-state area as a whole. Now, the town continues to dig out of the debris to clear trees from homes and roads, and restore power to residents. But how do you think the township has done so far? Mayor James Barberio tells Patch that he's spent the better part of the storm on the road helping residents, witnessing the hard work of town crews and communicating with Jersey Central Power and Light to have electricity restored as quickly as possible. Has it worked? Take our poll, and tell us in the comments if you think the township has been doing a good job in its emergency response.
Service will be limited as transportation company continues to recover from Sandy.
New Jersey Transit announced it will resume limited midtown direct service along the Morris line beginning Monday. This is the first time the line has offered service since Tropical Storm Sandy hit the region on Oct. 29. Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chairman James Simpson said emergency bus and ferry operations will continue into midtown and lower Manhattan despite train service resuming. Service begins with the first train departing Denville at 4:07 a.m. and one train per hour within the 7 a.m., 8 a.m., 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. hours. Return trains will include three trains in the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. hours and two in the 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. hours. Trains will service the Morris Plains, Morristown, Convent, Madison and Chatham …
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Mayor made announcement early on Election Day
Morris County has been included in the Federal Emergency Management Agency declaration for Individual Assistance, according to a Tuesday morning statement from Mayor James Barberio. Residents who have suffered severe losses through Superstorm Sandy should either call FEMA at 800-621-3362 or go to the agency website at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. It does not appear that the website has been updated yet to include Morris County, but Mayor Barberio recommended taking a look at the site to expedite the application process once the site is updated and Parsippany residents can begin to apply. There are currently no FEMA Centers that have opened in the county. The public will be updated should that status chnge.
Politicians said this election season was 'very difficult' because of storm.
After millions of New Jersey residents spent most of last week without power, gas, and even lost their homes, Tuesday’s general election was likely the farthest from their minds. But for politicians who have continued to campaign through the storm, the election has remained a focus. “It’s been a very, very difficult procedure because of the storm,” Essex County Freeholder Vice President Patricia Sebold said. Sebold is the Democratic chairwoman in Livingston and has helped local candidates with their own races. She said her candidates have struggled to reach voters as power outages have stopped their printer, in Irvington, from producing mailers. “I’ve never experienced anything like this ever, in all my years of being involved in politics…
Monday, November 5, 2012
Mayor James Barberio said he is doing what he must to protect the safety of Parsippany's children.
In his latest press statement, Mayor James Barberio referenced a number of items pertaining to Sandy recovery, including one of particular interest to parents and kids. Barberio said he will announce a new date for the township's rescheduled Halloween celebration on Tuesday. In his release, he reminded residents of the state of emergency that still exists. "Many of the traffic signals are still not operational, wires are down and while these wires might not be visible, they can often lie beneath the leaves on the street," the statement said. "The danger is very real." As an example, the release mentioned that trucks are not allowed on South Beverwyck Road, which is open to cars, because of a low-hanging wire at the now-open Interstate 80 …
Friday, November 2, 2012
Utility company spokesman says most power should be restored by Wednesday.
It's understandable that people are frustrated about spending days without electricity in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. A Jersey Central Power and Light spokersperson said the company shares that feeling. But Chris Eck says the light at the tunnel's end is visible, and most restoration should be completed in six days. "At this point, we can't exactly say when," Eck said. "We're still assessing the damage in some areas that we can't even get to. But we do hope to have most of our customers restored by next Wednesday." He said there are a number of challenges that are keeping thousands of Parsippanians in the dark. First, Eck said, is prioritization. Institutions dedicated to public safety simply must get first crack at having power …
With a dearth of filling stations able to pump gas, petrol seems more precious than gold.
Eary Friday in Parsippany, many motorists are searching desperately for fuel for their vehicles—and finding it is a challenge. Patch drove through Parsippany Road and found no open stations. Along Route 46, from Mountain Lakes to New Road in Parsippany, nothing. Traveling up North Beverwyck Road into Lake Hiawatha, where an increasing number of businesses have lights on, the filling stations—Shell, Hiawatha Towing—are dark and deserted. The only station mentioned to us as being open and pumping is at the New Road Wawa, and the lines there are unimaginably long. An interesting phenomenon: At some of the empty stations, long lines of cars are queued as drivers wait to see if they will open. We encountered a line of more than 25 cars outside …
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Morris County Clerk's Office extends in-person voting hours for Thursday.
In-person voting still is being conducted in the office of the Morris County Clerk even though other county government offices are closed Thursday and Friday, the county announced. Meanwhile, officials said voting on Election Day, Tuesday, will be conducted regardless of whether polling places have power. The county clerk’s election division extended Thursday in-person voting hours until 7 p.m. because the office was closed Monday and Tuesday for Tropical Storm Sandy, said Laura Roberts, election supervisor for the Morris County Clerk. The clerk's office opened Wednesday for the first time this week and about 70 people made it in to vote, Roberts said. Extended voting hours also are scheduled, as originally planned, from 8:30 a.m. until 8 …
Essential government employees report to work as scheduled.
Non-essential Morris County government offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, but essential personnel must report to work as scheduled, according to an announcement from the county government. The Morris County Office of Emergency Managment said it will continue to work to meet critical needs and the government offices were closing to assist with preserving fuel amid gas shortages. "In order to assist with preserving fuel, Morris County government offices will close Thursday and Friday for non-essential personnel," the OEM said in a message on its Facebook page. "County employees, please note, if your manager deems you as essential or you are classified as essential, you must report as usual. "Please be assured that although county …
Nancy Choffo
7:31 am on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
I stayed in my house with a generator. I was trracking how much I spent on the generator, gas, wood for the fireplace and replacement food. The total cost was $1929.27. This doesn't even include eating out often. Unfortunately this is a expensive time of year too. In September there are always back to school costs for clothes and supplies. Then Christmas is just around the corner. Even is the … more ›