Update: Businesses on Rte. 23, Thousands Still Without Power
Public schools closed Monday, Haledon man dies after car strikes utility truck.
Photos
Thousands of residents and several businesses on Route 23 are still without power Monday morning as the area recovers from a surprise storm that blanketed North Jersey with several inches of snow over the weekend.
Businesses in the Waynechester Plaza, next to the old State Farm building on Route 23 North, and in the plaza across the highway on Route 23 South are without power.
PSE&G could not be reached for comment Monday morning, but according to the company's online Outage Center, between 2,000 and 5,000 residents still do not have power.
Traffic lights at the Route 23 turnaround near the old State Farm building and at Route 23 and Packanack Lake Road remain without power. Vehicles are prohibited from heading south on Route 23 from Packanack Lake Road.
While many of the main roads are dry and traffic is now moving smoothly on many of them, dozens of side streets were blocked by downed trees and dangling power lines over the weekend.
PSE&G estimates it will be Wednesday evening before crews are able to restore electricity throughout Wayne, according to Police Chief John Reardon.
The township has set up a shelter at the municipal complex for anyone who needs it.
All Wayne public schools are closed Monday, Board of Education President Donald Pavlak Jr. announced Sunday afternoon.
Reardon explained Sunday that while Department of Public Works employees have been working to remove downed trees from roadways, in many cases trees cannot be removed until wires have been removed or a determination has been made that they are not power lines.
Residents are cautioned not to touch any downed wires, Reardon said, because of the danger of electrocution.
Any Wayne residents without electricity who need shelter for the night should contact MaryAnn Orapello, by calling the Wayne Police Communications desk at 973-694-0600.
The debate set for Sunday morning among candidates for state Senate and Assembly was cancelled. No word yet on a new date.
Police Detective Capt. Jim Clarke also asked that residents not call 911 unless they truly have an emergency, because police dispatchers are overwhelmed by the flood of calls. According to Clarke, from midnight Saturday until midnight Sunday, the police department received 525 calls for service.
Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency late Saturday due to the storm.
Scondo
8:09 am on Sunday, October 30, 2011
There are a lot cheap condos stll available in Florida, just saying.
Rex miatke
2:49 pm on Sunday, October 30, 2011
Can we send the Billy Sue Bob group down there?? Maybe they will like Florida better than Wayne. All the money he made off Teaneck he could have a nice home in Florida. He might even be able to get a home on Jupiter Island. Me I love Wayne and would never want to live anywhere else.
stewart resmer
11:46 am on Monday, October 31, 2011
Of course there was that idiot in the large charcoal grey pick up truck who breached rt 23 at Packanack Lake rd who floundered in the middle of the highway unable to get to the otherside.
Justice
4:11 pm on Monday, October 31, 2011
I question the ethics of anyone who loves Wayne with the current Mayor and Council.
Loving a town is good, loving the underhanded politics is quite another matter.
Very possibly, these people made a fortune off the Madoff's of the world?
jess
6:51 am on Tuesday, November 1, 2011
I am a resident of Packanack Manor (the same neighborhood our mayor lives in,) Can someone tell me why his was the one and only street plowed in our neighborhood by Saturday night?
jess
6:53 am on Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Or better yet, why he also had power by Sunday night while the rest of us had to wait another 24 hours? Was it because, as he stated so eloquently in the paper, "he had to go sit in his car to charge his phone?" He is a big crybaby. What makes him any better than the rest of us?
Michelle
12:22 pm on Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Maybe he had a generator hooked up to his house. Why so many accusations? Many of my Packanack neighbors had light and heat due to generators....
jess
2:27 pm on Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Also, if he did have a generator, why did he have to sit in his car to power his phone, as he stated in the paper? I know he falls into a grid, but isnt it a bit coincidential that his was the first street in the Manor to have power? Just something to think about.
Al Scala
12:38 pm on Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Michelle, if Chris has a generator, and that's why he had lights on, that's fine, if that was the case. Power generally falls into a grid. I honestly don't know if they can single out a home for power, and leave the rest of what is in the grid, without power. Now, why was his street plowed and nobody else's? Do you think that's right?
Scondo
3:49 pm on Tuesday, November 1, 2011
There are certain streets that fall into the emergency plow routine, they get done first. They include the majors like Packanack lake Road, Lake Drive East and West, Osborne, the idea is that if fire or emergency equipment needs to move they want to be able to get it through and relatively close to all areas. Perhaps that street is one of those, also in time of emergency the Mayor is usually getting dragged out to be present at some scene or Town Hall.. Newt Miller lived on a little side street, but his street was always plowed. And do I think that is right, darn right I do, the Mayor is getting dragged out in the middle of a storm to lend support and to get updated , I think it emminently right that if be made just a little easier for him. You think it is fun to leave you warm bed to go out into the storm. We should be thankful that we have these people working for our behalf. That includes the paid staff. The DPW guys have been doing yeomans duty since the floods, they will deal with the trees and the snow-- the First Aiders and the wonderful Firemen have been putting forth great efforts for us in the last couple of months. The last thing I want to hear is petty sniveling sniping , it makes me want to throw up.
Rex miatke
3:59 pm on Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Scondo run for council and you have my vote!!!!!! I will do all in my power to get you elected. You are spot on with your comments and I agree 100 percent!!!!! George H. and Timmy C. should receive a standing ovation. What an INCREDIBLE job!!!!!! People really do not realize how good we have it here in Wayne. Where else would you get such INCREDIBLE volunteers that give so many hours. Scondo you are so right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Al Scala
5:20 pm on Tuesday, November 1, 2011
If a person wants to seek to be Mayor of any town, he should expect from time to time to , in your words, "Leave his warm bed', "getting dragged out out in the middle of a storm", etc., etc. You sure have a flare for the dramatic! You want to be Mayor, want to be a big shot, then so be it! He chose to do this. Nobody forced him into this job. He gets paid to do what he does. Public officials shouldn't be served, they should serve.
packamom
9:25 pm on Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Jess-seriously? Assemblyman Rumana lives on my street and I am still without electricity as of Tuesday night. Him living a few houses away does not afford us any special favors. When a huge tree falls and takes out a transformer power goes out, simple as that. Power is supplied in grids and nobody no matter how famous or politically connected can get electricity to their house before the rest of us. Quit your complaining and start asking how you can help your neighbors who are still sitting in freezing cold, dark houses.