5 Billion Gallons of Sewage Overflowed to N.J. Post-Sandy, Report Says

18 of 20 largest sewage spills in the northeast were reported in New Jersey and New York.

New Jersey saw approximately 5.1 billion gallons of untreated or partially treated sewage flow into waterways in the weeks and months following Superstorm Sandy, according to new data released by Climate Central. In total, the eight states hardest-hit by the storm had 11 billion gallons flow into canals, rivers and bays. "To put that in perspective, 11 billion gallons is equal to New York’s Central Park stacked 41 feet high with sewage, or more than 50 times the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The vast majority of that sewage flowed into the waters of New York City and northern New Jersey in the days and weeks during and after the storm," the Climate Central report said. Data included in the report was compiled from state agencies and …

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Kiel Book Donation to Sandy Victims Appreciated in Union Beach

Volunteer thanks Kinnelon school, and others, for donating to those in need.

Kiel School was thanked for a generous donation of books to Superstorm Sandy-ravaged Union Beach in a letter to the editor in the Atlantic Highlands Herald. Jacqui Hillmann wrote about her gratitude for various donations from across the state which were distributed to 80 families in the Bay Shore area. Among the donations were about 500 books that were donated by Scholastic to Kiel and then donated by the school to help students in South Jersey.

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Communication Key JCP&L Issue in Sandy, Residents Said

They say the use of smartphones would have been a big help during the storm.

Communication was the key element missing in the days following Superstorm Sandy, residents said at a meeting with JCP&L executives Friday. Bridgewater resident Neha Limaye Pallod—who arranged the meeting and was joined by a few members of a statewide Facebook group she started to make JCP&L answer for its response to power outages in November—said the lack of information on a street level is where the system was truly flawed. Pallod and other residents met with JCP&L officials at their Morristown headquarters, and she said many made recommendations about how to fix communication for the future. Click here to read our Cover-It-Live story of live tweets from the meeting. “Calls are not getting logged correctly,” she said. “Reporting outages…

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JCP&L Outage Info Available Through New App

Downloadable app comes after customers demand better communication following Superstorm Sandy.

The parent company of Jersey Central Power and Light is touting its new mobile phone app, which the company says could be helpful during times of power outages. The app launched by FirstEnergy Corp. is free for its customers in the five states the company's utilities serve, and offers quicker access to outage maps, simplified reporting of outages, and access to personal account information. “Our new smartphone app and mobile website make it easier for our customers to stay in touch with us and conduct every-day transactions when they’re on the go, whether it’s reporting a power outage or paying a bill,” Ronald I. Green, vice president of Customer Service, said. “The new tools also make our simple and secure online bill payment programs …

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D Ambriano

11:40 am on Monday, February 11, 2013

They are trimming trees by me...the same line they continue to trim, slash, and clear cut every other year that supplies the county (although they claim "every 4 years"). The local lines along Waughaw road, which haven't been touched in over 15 years, remain overgrown and dangerously "un" maintained. When the subject is broached, the answer is (as it has been for the past 15 years): "They're …   more ›

Chris Christie: The New Boss?

Governor hailed as hero following Sandy, says he's 'more ready' to consider presidential run.

Gov. Chris Christie has been considered by some legislators and constituents to be somewhat of a hero for his response and leadership following Superstorm Sandy. But now that the storm has passed, the governor is looking toward the future and a potential run for presidency, according to a Time magazine article, "The Boss," about the state's leader. As Republicans look to place a strong candidate in the 2016 presidential election, Christie may be their choice. But state Democratic leaders said there is much the governor has still not delivered on during his tenure. Despite rumors that he was planning to run for president in 2012, Christie publicly announced several times over that he did not have intentions to run. Now months later, after …

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Patriot

6:03 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013

Ditto to that!   more ›

Fundraiser for Injured Police Officer Ends Soon

Lincoln-Wayne Car Wash donating a portion of sales of gift cards to Officer Bob Franco and his family.

Toys 'R' Us Gives $1M to Sandy Relief Fund

Governor, first lady 'grateful' for donation to help families rebuild their lives.

Student Raises More Than $900 for Injured Officer

Kevin Hughes sold hundreds of candy canes to raise money for Officer Bob Franco and his family. He continues to receive donations from friends and family members.

The money keeps rolling in for Kevin Hughes. Hughes, a Wayne Valley High School student, has raised more than $900 to help injured Wayne police Officer Bob Franco. “It went way better than I expected,” Hughes said. Hughes and a group of his friends sold about 700 candy canes to Wayne Valley students and faculty in just two days recently. The sweet seasonal treats sold so fast, Hughes had to keep buying more. Hughes’ father is volunteer firefighter and ex-chief of Company No. 5, which is located in the Packanack Lake section of town. Franco, a 15-year veteran with the police department, suffered a severe spinal cord injury when a tree fell on the vehicle he was in during Superstorm Sandy in late October. It took an hour to extract him from …

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Kinnelon Pride From 2012 Paves Way for New Year

Officials describe 'highs and lows' of past year, including homecoming of killed Kinnelon soldier and how the community came together following Sandy.

As Kinnelon's elected officials gathered to welcome the new year with a swearing-in ceremony and reorganization Wednesday, they could not help but reflect on a year that one councilman described as starting off like a lamb and ending like a lion. "It was a great year for pride in Kinnelon," Councilman Jim Freda said in his remarks, noting several moments in 2012 when he, and others, were proud to be from the borough. A Year of Highs and Lows Earlier, Mayor Robert Collins described the "highs and lows" of 2012, beginning with mention of Jonathan Batista, the 22-year-old soldier from the borough who was killed in Afghanistan. As Batista's body was brought home in July, Kinnelon Road was lined with residents waving flags to welcome him. "The …

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