Nearly three weeks after Sandy's storm surge destroyed the waterfront in Keyport, the Historical Society is still working to locate artifacts lost when the Steamboat Museum was washed away. The 40-year-old museum had been braced for flooding, with items stored above the waterline from Irene and certain artifacts moved to society members' homes before the storm. Nothing, however, could have prepared them for the havoc Sandy wreaked on the Bayshore.  The morning after the storm, the community emerged to find their local businesses washed away, homes destroyed and their Steamboat Museum …

Jersey threw a rocking party and everyone was invited—except Sandy. On Sunday, a crowd of over 400 turned up for Unite 2 Revive, a benefit concert held at Jersey’s Sports bar & Grill in Neptune. The event raised $5,800 for the Jersey Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross to help with their Sandy disaster relief efforts, according to Unite 2 Revive publicist Deirdre Anne Lopian. “It has been an extremely stressful two weeks. Everybody is affected by the storm in one way shape or form. Why not come out, have a good time, listen to the music, dance to the bands. And at the same time, you’re …

With the holiday season getting underway Lowe's has announced that they will be providing free meals to local residents affected by Hurricane Sandy.   The company announced that 35 of its stores in New York and New Jersey will be providing more than 22 thousand complete Thanksgiving dinners, including the Holmdel Route 35 South Lowe's store. The dinners include a fresh roasted turkey or ham, mashed potatoes and gravy along with sweet corn and rolls. Table Talk Pies of Worcester, Mass. also donated more than 43,000 pies for the meals. In addition to the 500 meals each store will distribute the…

Vice President Joe Biden visited Seaside Heights today to view damage caused by Hurricane Sandy - saying "this is a national responsibility" - according to the Associated Press. “We have an awful lot of work to do,” AP quoted Biden as saying. He added, “This is going to be a long process. This is going to be an expensive process." Chairman of the candidate screening committee for the Ocean County Democrats Kevin Barron discussed Biden's visit with Patch today. "We heard some saying, [when President Obama] visited, that he was only here because he was campaigning. But here [Biden] is after the…

At the concrete barricades that seal off Ortley Beach, Bay Head and Seaside Heights from everything else, fully-armed police officers peek through dimly lit cars, looking for any trouble they can find.The clouds that hover over them never seem to leave, covering what's left of the shining sun, long before it's ever supposed to set. Each officer is bundled in burly black jackets, pointing flashlights in each passing car before turning them away. Wearing knitted hats that nearly wrap around their eyes and ears, these officers are mere shadows with badges, figurines with no faces that stop …

You can help rebuild communities that were hit by Hurricane Sandy by donating cans of food, volunteering for cleanup efforts—or simply sending a tweet. Holmdel-Hazlet Patch is excited to announce Patch's effort to help support devestated communities after the storm. For every tweet sent with the hashtag #PatchRebuilds, we will donate $1 to the AmeriCares Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief Fund, up to $125,000. Your contribution will go toward medical and humanitarian aid, grants and programs to help Sandy survivors. You can simply tweet the hashtag #PatchRebuilds, or go to our Patch Rebuilds …

About 900 Monmouth and Ocean County residents are still in shelters or hotels after Hurricane Sandy forced people from their homes, a Federal Emergency Management Administration official said Tuesday night. Tom Davies, FEMA's liaison to Ocean County, said there are about 300 people are in shelters, 500 in hotels and St. Mary's is providing shelter for an additional 100 people. "People are still in shelters and our aim is to get them into transitional housing," Davies said at the Toms River Township Council Meeting on Tuesday. "This could take time." Interviewed last night after the Stafford …

NJ Transit will continue to offer emergency buses for New York City commuters as they work to repair damage to certain bridges and rail lines, according to spokeswoman Nancy Snyder. Emergency buses will operate inbound from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and will return commuters from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The bus and ferry service listed in the chart below is free. Origin  Destination  Ramsey StationRoute 17, Ramsey  Weehawkin, Port Imperial for free ferry service to Midtown (39th Street, Pier 79) Meadowlands MetLife Stadium1 MetLife Stadium Drive, East Rutherford Weehawkin, Port Imperial for free ferry …

The morning of Tuesday, Oct. 30, the Bayshore awoke to find their power gone and numerous homes and businesses destroyed, with little information about when life may begin to return to normal. A few well-prepared homes hummed with the little bit of power their generators provided, however hundreds were displaced due to power outages or structural damage to their home. DeMarco's, like a few other family-owned businesses in the area, had prepared for the storm with a generator. Owners Eugene, Robert and Louis DeMarco knew what they had to help keep displaced families and hard-at-work emergency …

Hundreds of New Jerseyans displaced by the ravages of Hurricane Sandy will be relocated to temporary housing on Fort Monmouth by the end of the week, Gov. Chris Christie announced Monday. The former military base could house between 400 to 600 families, according to NJ.com. Oceanport Mayor Michael Mahon told Patch that those who sought shelter in the giant tents in the Monmouth Park parking lot will be relocated to the empty fort property, and many in the Oceanport section. "It's an excellent opportunity to play host to those folks displaced by the hurricane. We welcome them," Mahon said. …

New Jersey has entered a new normal, Gov. Chris Christie said Monday. With the recovery effort largely concluded, the focus of state and federal agencies will turn toward rebuilding the parts of New Jersey devastated by Hurricane Sandy, he noted during an appearance at the newly established Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Joint Field Office at the former Avaya building in Lincroft. “We’ve returned to a sense of normalcy, that’s why I have the fleece off,” Christie said, joking about his signature accessory at a series of press conferences and appearances across the state. “It’s …

The life of an 8-month-old German Shepherd ended Thursday when the dog found itself in the wrong place at the wrong time in a Colts Neck neighborhood. Lisa Loew Mason was bringing out the trash with her dog, Rosie, by her side. Rosie spotted two dogs running in a field across the street, and took off after them. The dogs across the street had gotten loose because a neighbor's electric fence was without power. In an attempt to catch up, Loew Mason hopped in her car. Not a block away, she found Rosie in the street next to a utility pole. "I went up to her and was calling her name, I thought …

Monmouth County government's two remaining supply distribution sites will close at 5 p.m. today. Holy Family Church in Hazlet and Monmouth Park in Oceanport will discontinue operations while the county's third distribution site, Circle Factory Outlets in Wall, was shut down Friday. "The distribution sites have served our residents well over the past 11 days,” Sheriff Shaun Golden said. “We thank our partners and the volunteers who helped our residents through some difficult days.” However, donations are still being accepted at Thompson Park (805 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft) from 8 a.m. to 4…

Hurricane Sandy brought devestation, destruction and power outages but it also brought out the kindness of neighbors and strangers. Whether someone lent you a generator, cooked you a hot meal or offered compassion in some other unique way, here is an opportunity to share how "something negative" turned into "something positive." In our comments section below, let us know how you were helped, or a kind deed you witnessed.  Have a photo? Share it in our gallery.

Boaters whose vessels have become disabled in either Hurricane Sandy or the nor'easter that followed should remove electronics and personal items from them to prevent theft and looting, a national boating organization urged. The advice is especially important as barrier island residents temporarily repopulate their hometowns, but will most likely have to leave their boats behind when they leave. The Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) also suggested boat owners place a "No Trespassing" sign on their boats along with contact information. Despite the suggestion, the …

  I knew even before I called my next door neighbor the news was probably bad. "How is it?" I asked. "You don't know?" he replied. My heart sank. We had fled our sweet little Bayville home near the Toms River at noon on Monday, the deadline for the mandatory evacuation order. We headed for my son and daughter-in-law's house in Toms River. A Bayville fireman knocked on our front door about 9 p.m the Friday night before Hurricane Sandy. He smiled, then stepped into our cozy living room lit with harvest lights. We had to sign a paper acknowledging that we understood if we stayed and got into …

Governor Christie said he may lift gas rationing on Monday. The governor, speaking at a press conference in Seaside Park on Friday, said the rationing has worked well and eased congestion at gas stations. But he expects all power to be restored by Sunday, so rationing should therefore end. The following counties are now limited on the days in which they can fill up their gas tanks: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris, Monmouth, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren. According to the state, plates ending in an even number can fill up on even-numbered days of the month, …

  A conference call involving numerous state and federal agencies providing information to businesses impacted by Sandy is available online. The audio recording of a Thursday afternoon conference call with FEMA, the Small Business Administration and other business agencies can now be accessed at the New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA) website. Scroll about halfway down the page and look for the following paragraph: "Listen to a conference call that took place November 8 on government programs to help businesses recover from Sandy. Senior officials from the Federal Emergency …

Almost two weeks after Hurricane Sandy, and just days after a nor'easter hit Monmouth County, families still find themselves in need. We've seen the images of destruction, and the images of hope. So many residents have already dedicated their money and time to rebuildng towns such as Union Beach and Keyport, but there is still more to be done. Here are some ways you can help: Volunteer Beacon of Hope Center, Hazlet: The formerly vacant Childrens Wear storefront has been taken over and dubbed "The Beacon of Hope" by the Northern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce by its members, who are behind it. …

Shortly after the winds and floods of Hurricane Sandy died down and the full gloomy picture of the devastation became known, local firehouses and churches and even a liquor store sprang up to collect donated goods for the storm victims.  But as word spread and the mountains of clothes grew, organizers began brainstorming a better, longer term solution. An offer was made to lend the empty Childrens Wear and Foodtown stores for 30-days, and the army of people volunteers moved in. Its been dubbed "The Beacon of Hope" by the Northern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce members whose members are behind …