Sandy: One Week Later

It’s been a week since Sandy hit the Tri-State area, affecting tens of thousands of people and their homes.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced on Monday that he has appointed a former OEM and FEMA official to make a plan. 30,000 to 40,000 New Yorkers may need to be relocated, he added. That number could drop to 20,000 within the next weeks as power is restored in more places.

Former OEM deputy, Brad Gair is coordinating the plan to relocate the people that are still affected. After hurricanes Katrina and Rita, victims were relocated by FEMA in trailers, hotels, cruise ships and apartments across several states for months and even years.

80 per cent of customers have been restored with power in New York, but windy weather this week will compromise the efforts to get the power back to everyone.

Residents in public housing are a top concern, as temperatures are being in the 30s this week. An estimate 35,000 people have no heat and hot water in the state of New York.

Super storm Sandy killed more than 70 people in the Tri-State area and created a fuel shortage, along with several interruptions on buses, trains, subways, and ferries services.

Noe I. for Windows of the World.

New Jersey and New York Postpone Halloween Celebrations

New Jersey will have to wait until Monday to go trick-or-treating.

Governor Christie signed an exclusive order on Wednesday postponing Halloween celebrations due to unsafe conditions from Hurricane Sandy.

“I’ve taken this action to minimize additional risks to lives and the public safety as we begin the process of rebuilding and recovering from Hurricane Sandy,” said Governor Christie.

New Jersey was the worst state affected by the storm with flooding, fallen trees, and millions without power across the state.

“Postponing Halloween celebrations by five days is a commonsense and necessary step to accomplish that.”, continued Christie.

New York City Mayor Bloomberg also postponed the annual Halloween parade through Greenwich Village.

Lots of local governments in the New York Tri-State area are also advising against trick-or-treating tonight.

Make sure you follow Windows of the World on Twitter for the latest on Sandy: @WindowsotWorld

Noe I. for Windows of the World

Millions Without Power, 40 Dead as Result of Sandy: Complete Coverage

The scale of devastation of super storm Sandy is big, as at least 40 people have been killed and authorities struggle to restore the power and transit of millions.

President Obama declared disasters in New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut and promised the government will do all it can to help local authorities cope with the damage. The President is scheduled to visit the damaged areas in New Jersey on Wednesday.

Michael Bloomberg, mayor or New York City, said assessing the scope of a once-in-a-generation hurricane that killed at least 40 people, swept homes into the ocean, flooded large swaths of coastal areas, left millions of people without power and crippled transportation.

It is not possible to put a value on Sandy’s devastation but insured losses alone will run from 7 billion to 15 billion dollars.

This historic storm, which made landfall at 6:45 p.m. ET Monday, put a wall of water up to 13 feet high at the Northeast coast.

To donate $10 for victims & areas hit by Sandy text the number 90999 with the word REDCROSS. Will be deducted from your wireless bill.

Details of the devastation from Sandy to the New York City Area:

-20 deaths across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut blamed on Sandy.

-Dry ice is being distributed this afternoon and evening in Orange and Bergen Counties in the following locations:

• Rockland County: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., Boulders Ball Field, Pamona Road, Pamona, NY
• Orange County: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., Orange County Government Center, 40 Erie Street, Goshen, NY
• Bergen County: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., Bergen County Office of Emergency Management, 285 Campgaw Road, Mahwah, NJ
• Orance County: Town of Mamakating Town Hall, 2948 Route 209, Mamakating, NY

-Restoring Power and Mass Transit are the priorities says Mayor of New York City.

-Limited bus service will resume this evening on a Saturday schedule. Free fares on those buses.

-NYSE opening tomorrow Wednesday after Sandy.

-All East River bridges are now open.

-Alternate side parking and parking meter rules are currently suspended.

-2.4 Million New Jersey households without power, say Governor Christie.

-It will be 7-10 days for path trains to resume service, says NJ Governor Christie.

-Health Officials in Connecticut say water quality may have been compromised by sewage backups or pollution caused by Sandy.

-New York City schools closed Wednesday.

LaGuardia Airpor flooded.

The intersection of First Avenue and Brielle Road in Manasquan, N.J.

Sand and debris covers the streets near the water in Atlantic City, N.J., Oct. 30, 2012. Sandy caused multiple fatalities, halted mass transit and cut power to more than 6 million homes and businesses.
AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Foundations and pilings are all that remain of brick buildings and a boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J., Oct. 30, 2012, after they were destroyed when a powerful storm that started out as Hurricane Sandy made landfall on the East Coast on Monday night.

Dozens of trees fell in Astoria, Queens. (Oct. 30, 2012)
Erin Nau

A boat blocked Metro-North tracks near the Ossining station. (Oct. 30, 2012)
MTA

2,200 feet of the Atlantic City boardwalk is gone. (Oct. 30, 2012)

Storm surge engulfed a police car under the FDR Drive. (Oct. 29, 2012)

Pictures copyrighted by Fox News New York.

For instant news and updates on Super Storm Sandy, Follow Windows of the World on Twitter and Like it on Facebook.

@WindowsotWorld

Facebook.com/windowsoftheworld

Photos; New York Remembers 9/11 on 11th Anniversary

A flag flies over the National September 11 Memorial before observances marking the eleventh anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012 in New York. (AP Photo/John Moore, Pool)

 

A person stops to read names in New Jersey’s memorial to the 749 people from the state lost during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, as One World Trade Center, now up to 104 floors, looms in the distance across the Hudson River, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012 in Jersey City, N.J. Americans paused again Tuesday to mark the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks with familiar ceremonies, but also a sense that it’s time to move forward after a decade of remembrance. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

 

Firefighters carry a flag as friends and relatives of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center attend a ceremony marking the 11th anniversary of the attacks at the National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/The Daily News, Todd Maisel, Pool)

 

Friends and relatives of the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center attend a ceremony marking the 11th anniversary of the attacks at the National September 11 Memorial at the World Trade Center site in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

 

An American flag is inserted in one of the of names engraved at the north reflecting pool at the World Trade Center Memorial, during the 11th anniversary observance of the attacks at the World Trade Center, in New York, Sept. 11 2012. (AP Photo/Mike Segar, Reuters, Pool)

 

A New York City Police officer salutes a flag hanging from the One World Trade Center building, during ceremonies for the 11th anniversary of the attacks at the World Trade Center, in New York, Tuesday Sept. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/John Moore, Pool, Getty Images)

Fort Lee, NJ Issues Tickets To Walking-And-Texting People

If you’re caught texting while crossing the street in Fort Lee, N.J., you’d better be ready to cough up $85 for a ticket.

Police Chief Thomas Ripoli said that jaywalking had become a dangerous problem with pedestrians traveling while distracted by technology, be it their cellphones or mp3 players.

“They’re not walking in the crosswalks. They’re walking against the red light, and they’re being struck by vehicles,” Ripoli said today. “We had three fatalities this year, and 23 people hurt, hit, [in] a three-month period.”

Last year, 74 pedestrians were struck and two people were killed in Fort Lee, a city of 35,000, just across the Hudson River from New York City.

Officers started handing out pamphlets in March, but Ripoli said that when residents didn’t heed the warnings, the police started ticketing offenders.

According to The Record, the local newspaper, more than 117 tickets had been issued so far.

In 2008, according to an Ohio State University study, more than 1,000 people — double the previous year’s number — visited emergency rooms after they were injured while walking and talking on the telephone.

Researchers at Stony Brook University in New York found that texters were 60 percent more likely to veer off line than those walking and not texting.

Chief Ripoli said he hoped the jaywalking crackdown would encourage the public to become smarter when traveling on foot.

He said the tickets had nothing to do with collecting more money for the city.

“I’m here to make sure my officers and the public are safe,” he said. “We believe you should make eye contact with the vehicles when you’re crossing. … Technology is interfering a little bit with the safety of the public.”

ABC NEWS

Fires Throughout The Tri-State Area

Firefighters battled major brush fires throughout the tri-state Monday amid low humidity and winds gusting up to 45 mph.

On Long Island, a brush fire erupted at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory. Some 2,000 acres, including 300 acres at the lab site, were reported burning.

The lab’s sewage treatment plant was evacuated as a precaution; there have been no reported injuries.

Much of the tri-state is under a fire weather warning because of the gusty winds and dry conditions.

A major brush fire engulfed several hundred acres in southern New Jersey, while another fire has been reported in the Palisades Park System north of Tomkins Cove in Rockland County.

 

Car Slams Into Restaurant In N.J.

An elderly man behind the wheel of an SUV crashed the vehicle into a restaurant in Edison, New Jersey, Wednesday afternoon.

At least two people were injured including two patrons who were dining at the eatery on Route 27, said police.

It is not clear what caused the driver to lose control of the car.

My Fox New York is updating this story. Make sure you check it.

Breath Of Spring Today For NYC And Other East Coast Cities

 

The tri-state saw a breath of spring Wednesday and temps will surge even warmer for another day.

Thursday highs are expected in the mid to upper 60s, close to 70 in some inland areas. New York City is forecast to see temps all the way up to 68.

A wind advisory is in effect for the city, Long Island, the Hudson Valley and the immediate New Jersey suburbs, so if you plan to spend extensive time outside during the spring-like March day, beware of allergies. Strong winds tend to circulate pollen more aggressively.

NBC 4 New York Reports.

New Jersey Traffic Back on Schedule After Delays

NJ Transit trains are operating near or on schedule after overhead wire damage in one Hudson River tunnel wrought havoc on the morning commute.

Trains were experiencing delays of up to 60 minutes for about five hours following the incident early Tuesday.

Passengers heading to or from stations in New York and Hoboken were affected.

Human Remains Found In Suitcase In Newark

Human have been discovered inside a suitcase near the Passaic River in Newark, authorities said.

The remains were found near Raymond Boulevard and Van Buren Street not far from Penn Station.

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said police discovered the remains after receiving a telephone call.

The Newark police department and the prosecutor’s office are investigating.

More details are expected to be released Monday.