Sunday marks the first anniversary of the storm that pulled trees from their roots, flooded cars, decimated homes and businesses and left thousands without power. After Irene blew through the area in August, 2011, Wall Patch was there to cover the hurricane that had been downgraded to a tropical storm. One year later, we're asking you: Does the storm continue to affect you? What changes did you make in and around your home? Did your business, or neighboring businesses survive the wind and flood damage? Add photos of your neighborhood from the storm, and photos today so we can see how far we …
Monmouth and Ocean county residents in need of governmental assistance as they recover from Hurricane Irene will be able to get face-to-face help starting this week. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) opened a Disaster Recovery Center this weekend in the Leonardo section of Middletown for Monmouth County residents and will open a center in Brick for Ocean residents Tuesday. Field specialists will be on hand to assist residents and business owners who wonder if they qualify for federal funds after sustaining damage during the hurricane. Millions of dollars are available through the…
The Township Committee during Wednesday’s workshop session thrashed the response of Jersey Central Power & Light in the days following Hurricane Irene, saying the company was “disappointing’’ and “unresponsive.’’ Conversely, each committee member praised the efforts of volunteer fire, first aid, office of emergency management, the police and Public Works Department in preparation, during and following the storm. The committee agreed to put a resolution on the agenda for next week’s public meeting calling for an investigation into the power company’s actions following the storm, which knocked …
Governor Chris Christie on Tuesday urged those impacted by Hurricane Irene to seek help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency - and Neptune will serve as FEMA's hub site for New Jersey. Beginning Wednesday, the Joint Field Office in Neptune will serve as the field office for all federal and New Jersey Office of Emergency Management relief efforts throughout the state. "Representatives from the departments will be located here to ensure that we're all working together, officially and effectively, in a coordinated manner to get assistance to folks as quickly as possible," he said. …
After touring two northern New Jersey towns ravaged by Hurricane Irene, President Barack Obama assured residents Sunday that the federal government will help them rebuild. "We are going to make sure we provide the resources needed," Obama said while touring Paterson, a city of roughly 150,000 that witnessed severe flooding during Irene because of its proximity to the Passaic River. "I want to make it very clear we are going to meet our federal obligations." Obama visited Paterson and Wayne for an hour-and-a-half with a delegation that included Gov. Chris Christie, U.S. Senators Frank …
President Barack Obama has declared Monmouth County a major disaster area. Congressman Frank Pallone, D-6, said he was notified of President Obama's decision on Saturday. Obama also declared Middlesex County a major disaster area. Sixteen New Jersey counties are now eligible for possible relief from FEMA: Atlantic, Bergen, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren. Gov. Chris Christie previously requested assistance for all 21 New Jersey counties, but damage assessments need to be concluded before …
Ocean and Monmouth counties may be eligible for disaster aid as Federal Emergency Management Agency officials work to assess damage that is still impacting thousands of residents almost a full week after Hurricane Irene stormed New Jersey. Individual residents also will be able to register to receive aid for a variety of losses regardless of whether they carry a private insurance policy. But such FEMA monies only are available as of Friday to residents of Bergen, Essex, Morris, Passaic and Somerset counties, per a federal disaster declaration made earlier this week. While the Shore continues…
On almost any other year, the focus around the Jersey Shore region this week would be on getting ready for the Labor Day Weekend. And while there is still a significant amount of excitement for the end of summer festivities, there is still a lot of work to be done to clean up from Hurricane Irene. According to AAA, before Hurricane Irene arrived last weekend more than 950 thousand people were expected to travel to our area. It is not known how many of those people will change their plans based on the damage done here and other parts of the state. "Now that we have said goodbye to Irene, more …
The Jersey Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross will distribute food outside 89 Center St. in Freehold Borough on Wednesday, Aug. 31 from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., according to chapter Food Distribution Manager Jen Swan. The American Red Cross will also distribute food at Middletown High School North, 63 Tindal Road, on Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Food will be provided to any Monmouth County resident without power, Swan said. JCP&L reports over 53,000, including 4,000 in Freehold, remain without electricity Wednesday. Hurricane Irene downed trees and power lines across the region Saturday …
New Jersey politicians in separate actions Tuesday called on President Barak Obama to speed the loosening of federal purse strings to aid in the ongoing response to Hurricane Irene. In separate letters, Gov. Chris Christie and U.S. Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, both D-N.J., urged the President to expedite a declaration of major disaster for the entire state, a move that would free up federal money to help finance the cleanup and recovery efforts in response to the weekend storm. “Immediate federal assistance is critical to properly and fairly mitigate the financial impact of …
Jersey Central Power & Light is giving away free bottled water and ice to those affected by widespread power outages. Between 2,000-4,000 people in Wall Township still without power, days after Hurrican Irene blew through town leaving a sea of snapped trees and downed power lines. But those still in the dark can pick up free water and ice at the FoodTown Supermarket at 18th and Route 35, courtesy of the power company, which has set up distribution centers at participating supermarkets around the region. Other participating stores include: Acme Supermarket, 576 River Road, Fair Haven Acme …
Town Hall will stay open tonight until 7 p.m. and anyone still without power or otherwise displaced by Hurricane Irene can come to charge electronic devices, watch TV or use limited kitchen services, officials aid. A post on the township website Tuesday morning announced the extended hours at town hall, 2700 Allaire Rd. As of 11:00 a.m., Jersey Central Power & Light was reporting that more than 2,000 customers were in the dark in Wall Township. That's down from nearly double that number Monday. Monmouth County continues to be the hardest hit by power outages, with JCP&L reporing about 93,000 …
With more than 3,000 Jersey Central Power & Light customers without power Monday afternoon, many businesses remained closed while the company worked to re-establish connections – a process that could take until next week to complete, according to authorities. Traveling down the Route 35 commercial district, most parking lots were completely empty Monday afternoon, save the occasional car passing through to check whether anything is open. But while many restaurants may be suffering from the lack of business due to the power outages, business was booming for the few lucky ones who managed to …
"Get the hell back on the beach." Those were the words Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno jokingly gave to the people of New Jersey while taking a tour of the Jersey Shore on Monday. Days after Gov. Chris Christie told sunbathers to "get the hell off the beach in Asbury Park" as Hurricane Irene barreled up the coast toward the Jersey Shore, his second in command made stops along the state's coast to survey the damage caused by the storm and to encourage tourism this Labor Day Weekend. Belmar was one of a four-stop helicopter tour of the Jersey Shore which included Atlantic City, Point Pleasant Beach …
TUESDAY UPDATE: As crews work to clear branches, trees and other debris from Hurricane Irene, numerous road and intersection closures are in still in effect Tuesday, police said. Roads reopened to all traffic: Allenwood-Lakewood Road Hospital Road Rooute 33 at Wyckoff Road Roads closed or have traffic detours: Metedeconk Road closed at Allenwood-Lakewood Road. Gully Road northbound detoured onto Remsen Mill Road. Old Mill Road closed between Ocean Road and West Chicago Blvd. Lakewood Road closed between Algonkin Trail and Lenape Trail. Asbury Road closed at the Collingwood Circle. Route 35 at…
There are still more than 120,000 people without power in Monmouth County Monday morning as the National Weather Service has put portions under a flood warning. The service issued the flood warning for southern Monmouth and northern Ocean counties at 5:00 a.m., saying the north branch of the Metedeconk River and the Squankum River at Manasqan remaind above flood stage. The warning is in effect until 1:00 p.m. Jersey Central Power & Light Monday morning is reporting that 120,718 are without power in the county, down from more than 140,000 on Sunday. And in Wall Township, 2,593 customers are …
The Garden State Parkway between Brick and Wall townships -- closed for emergency repair overnight -- has been re-opened, State Police said. The Parkway was closed in both directions between exits 91 and 98 most of the day Sunday and overnight into Monday because of flooding and subsequent repairs, according to Thomas Feeney, Turnpike Authority spokesman. The repairs were completed and the roadway reopened at 6 a.m. Monday, Feeney said. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority reported at 2:30 a.m. Monday that all southbound lanes on the Parkway between Exit 98 at Route 138 in Wall and Exit 91 at …
All NJ Transit trains will remain closed on Monday, according to a late release from the transportation company. NJ Transit around 8:30 p.m. said it would be shutting down all train service, instead of selected lines. The North Jersey Coast line, the line serving the Jersey Shore area, and a some already were going to remain shut Monday. But late Sunday, the service decided to suspend all trains because of ongoing difficulties caused by Hurricane Irene, according to the release. "We only cancel service when we absolutely have to -- and Irene has forced us to do so on most of our rail lines," …
President Barak Obama addressed the nation Sunday on the federal role in the response to Hurricane Irene. Obama, speaking from the Rose Garden, praised the work of emergency responders from local, state and federal level and pledged the full support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security to assist state and local officials as they deal with the continuing threat of flooding and power outages along the eastern Seaboard. “I have told Governors and mayors throughout the affected areas, if they need something, I want to know about it,’’ Obama said. …
More than 210,000 Jersey Central Power & Light customers are without power in Monmouth and Ocean counties, and a spokesman says it could be days before the lights come back on for those in communities hit hard by Hurricane Irene. Spokesman Ron Morano said 373,000 customers had outages statewide as of 3 p.m. Sunday, with 246,000 of those in the central New Jersey counties of Ocean, Monmouth, Middlesex and Burlington. According to JCP&L's most recent outage map, Howell had among the highest number of outages in Monmouth county, with 6,953 people without power. Long Branch, Wall, Spring Lake, …
