Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) was brought under scrutiny yesterday at the state Board of Public Utilities Hearing at Monmouth County Library headquarters in Manalapan. JCP&L customers from throughout the area came out to criticize the power company’s job after Hurricane Irene struck New Jersey in late August. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities held the hearing, with a second hearing scheduled for today in Morris Plains, to gather evidence against the company in an attempt to rectify why JCP&L allegedly performed so poorly after the hurricane. Board of Public Utilities President …
A press release from Freeholder Thomas A. Arnone that residents impacted by Hurricane Irene should fill out and return their U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) applications. From the release: "Many times, after residents register their loss with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), they might get an application from the SBA," Arnone said. "These applications are not just for businesses or low-interest disaster loans." Typically, people think the loans are only for businesses or they simply do not want to take out a low-interest disaster loan, so they may push the SBA …
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. …
Monmouth County a major disaster area. But Ocean County will continue to await its fate. Congressman Frank Pallone, D-6, said he was notified of Obama's decision on Saturday. Obama also declared Middlesex County a major disaster area. Gov. Chris Christie previously requested assistance for all 21 New Jersey counties, but damage assessments need to be concluded before individual assistance can be granted to the remaining counties of Burlington, Hudson, Mercer, Ocean and Union, according to the governor's office. Sixteen New Jersey counties are now eligible for relief from FEMA: Atlantic, …
I really thought the storm would be a non-event. I figured on lots of media coverage, lots of extra boxes of cookies and cans of tuna. And it was a non-event, until about 11 pm, Saturday night. A tornado watch was issued for Monmouth County, but not near us, no worries right? Sure, until a huge tree came down in the middle of the road. Everyone was outside with flash lights. Wind was whipping things around like crazy. Two more crashes and the fire department came. One of the trees fell on a neighbor’s car and crushed it. They told us to sleep in the basement in case the transformer blew up …
New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance Commissioner Tom Considine today offered tips to consumers on filing insurance claims in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. Following the Disaster Once it is safe to return home, assess the damage and make temporary repairs or arrange for a qualified professional to do so in order to protect your property. Take photos of the damage and remove personal property if your home cannot be secured. Make a list of damaged property. Do not dispose of property until an insurance adjuster has reviewed it for your claim. Many policies include reimbursement …
This is Monmouth County's full list of free water/ice locations for JCP&L customers still without power. Note the closest locations in Freehold, Shrewsbury, Red Bank and Lincroft: Acme Supermarket, 576 River Rd., Fair HavenAcme Supermarket, 3241 Route 9, FreeholdAcme Supermarket, 616 Newman Springs Rd., LincroftAcme Supermarket, Main Street & Route 71, ManasquanAcme Supermarket, 180 Shrewsbury Ave., ShrewsburyFood Circus, 1560 Route 35, OakhurstFood Circus, 426 Route 36 and Wilson Ave., Port MonmouthFood Circus, 362 Broad St., Red BankFood Circus, 1732 Route 35 and 18th Ave., Wall …
A huge tree fell flat upon a house at 13 Grand View Dr., forcing the township to condemn the property until repairs can be made. The owners, the Hwang family who run the Hazlet Deli at the NJ Transit train station, are staying in a hotel while keeping their business going. They are not injured -- though maybe a little shaken -- and are awaiting an insurance agent. The tree fell on Sunday around noon, making a terrible noise.
According to JCP&L at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, there are 1709 Holmdel residents still without power. In a message posted on the JCP&L website at 7:25 a.m. today, Aug. 31, the company states that they expect the majority of customers to be restored by this weekend, with full restoration early next week. The statement also encourages residents to call 1-888-544-4877 to report that the power is out in their home if they have not yet done so. They ask that no one report power outages more than once. Are you still without power or was your power recently restored? Tell us in the comments.
A message from Monmouth County: Hurricane Irene has caused major headaches for many homeowners. Basements are flooded, roofs are damaged by strong winds and trees are down.“You may feel pressured to hire the first contractor you speak with because your life has been turned upside down,” said Freeholder Lillian Burry, liaison to the Monmouth County Department of Consumer Affairs. “But don’t. The county’s Consumer Affairs staff has some great information and reminders for you to take into consideration before you move forward with your repairs.”This is what consumers need to know before …
Two Middletown men are being charged with theft after they were caught stealing power lines downed by Hurricane Irene in Matawan, according to police. Police say that Edward Smith, 30, and Joseph Cappola, 21, rented a Home Depot van and attempted to solicit hurricane debri clean up from residents on Ned Drive Tuesday morning. According to Matawan Lt. Ben Smith, the men then began collecting power lines pulled down by a large tree that fell Sunday afternoon during the heavy winds after the storm. Lt. Smith said Sgt. Jerry Hourihan was patrolling the area when he noticed the men attempting to …
Even despite the trouble Irene caused when she blew through town, Holmdel's Postmaster said that his employees were able to deliver 99 percent of the town's mail. "Everyone has been a real trooper," said USPS Postmaster Ted Moss. The lights went out on Saturday night, and returned on Tuesday afternoon. In between, the workers are sorting mall with light powered by a small generator. When the important hydraulic that load the mail between trucks and loading dock was no longer operational, they borrowed a ramp and hauled it up themselves. Postal carriers are dodging fallen tree limbs and …
Superintendent of Schools Barbara Duncan has announced that due to the power outage, the school year's start will be delayed by at least one day. The delay is because the schools haven't been cleaned, classrooms have not been set up, and the facility is without lights and communication systems, she said. The Board of Education meeting and staff development days have also both been postponed. Her email message to parents is reprinted below. Rumors of a bed bug infestation prompted the school district to bring in an egg-sniffing dog early Tuesday morning to check out the high school, which …
Editor's Note: Although the DPW pumped out basements during the storm, it is no longer providing that service, said the mayor on Tuesday afternoon. An earlier version of this story stated that the DPW was available upon request. Township department heads held a briefing Tuesday morning. Here are some notes from Mayor Patrick Impreveduto: Power: Electric power is coming back slowly, with current estimates at 3129 customers are reporting to be without power in Holmdel as of 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. "JCPL says they are doing the best they can -- and that’s all we're getting from them," said Mayor …
The Holmdel School District websites are still down on Tuesday morning, due to the power outage since Hurricane Irene blew through town. Phone service is unavailable to the district's four schools. The school district's computers are offline. But you can reach the Board of Education office in Town Hall, which has power. Their number is 732-946-1800. All events at the schools were postponed. The Satz Open House, rescheduled for Tues & Wed August 30 & 31, is on hold. A new date has not been announced, said the superintendent's office on Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. The lettered sign outside …
A Keansburg man was arrested at the Holmdel High School Evacuation Center on Saturday night and was charged with lewdness, a fourth degree crime. Muhammed Ikram, 32, of 18 Seaview Ave. in Keansburg is alleged to have deliberately exposed his genitals to a child under the age of 13 around 10:30 p.m. on August 27, said Holmdel Det. Louis Torres. The girl and her mother reported it to police at the site. Ikram was taken to Holmdel Police Headquarters and processed before being taken to Monmouth County Correctional Institution at midnight. Ikram was released on $5,000 bail Tuesday, August 30, …
Update Tuesday: The gas main has been turned off at Timberdale, Township Engineer Ed Broberg is working swiftly to get estimates for repair, and the Township Committee has scheduled a Special Meeting on Thursday, Sept. 1 to vote on engineering service awards to get the sinkholes and drainage systems repaired. In three locations on Holmdel Township roads, the overwhelming water produced by Irene's storm swept away the earthbed beneath and alongside roads, causing the pavement to buckle and break into a jagged wound. Police and Dept. of Public Works Dept. workers have blocked the sinkholes …
Throughout Holmdel, stacks of branches torn from trees are neatly laid out by the curb, like firewood. But there are no plans for the township to pick these bundles up, says Township Clerk Maureen Doloughty. "People have been calling all day asking when the next pick-up is, but there is no scheduled brush pick-up," she said Monday. The Department of Public Works finished its end-of-summer pick-ups August 26, 2001. Leaf pick-ups don't begin until the fall. Mayor Patrick Impreveduto said that adding more brush pick-ups is costly. "It takes manpower and money. You contract for so much brush…
Which was worse? The floods that transformed village streets into raging torrents? Or the wind that ripped trees asunder, sending limbs crashing down on power lines just when we were desperate to keep the sump pumps going? Unfortunately, Irene didn't give us a choice, with a two-pronged nighttime assault that left the state reeling. Our photographers were out early on Sunday to capture the aftermath.
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 Monday, 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," …
