Tropical Storm Leslie on a Track Up the Atlantic

The strengthening system could send swells toward the Jersey Shore next week.

Tropical Storm Leslie continues to gain strength and move northward, and the storm could become the first hurricane of the season felt by the Jersey Shore. The projected track of the storm comes nowhere near the East Coast, but there's a good chance that the New Jersey coast will see increased surf from the distant storm by the middle or end of the week. Leslie's sustained winds were 60 mph on Sunday, but the National Hurricane Center predicts that the storm will become a hurricane (sustained winds of at least 74 mph) within three or four days. The storm is moving on a path north toward Bermuda, and forecasters predict it will remain over the open water of the Atlantic Ocean. But since the tropical system is newly formed, the National …

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One Year Later: Shore Lifeguards, Residents, Business Owners Reflect on Irene

Irene made some residents lives 'miserable'

One year ago Sunday, Point Pleasant Beach resident David Nadle watched as the waves pounded over the boardwalk near Risden's Beach. Hurricane Irene, which was downgraded to a tropical storm, hung off the coast, and was about to make for a very "miserable" few days for Nadle. "We lost power for six days,"  he recalled, sitting Sunday on the same Risden's Beach he visited last year. He said the wind and waves that were along the beach today, which forced lifeguards to limit swimming to those areas marked off with yellow flags, were "nothing" compared to those seen with Irene. Even though his neighborhood was not evacuated, Nadle said he had to leave home until the electrical problems were remedied. He added even though he has lived in this …

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Bride Reflects on Wedding Expedited by Hurricane Irene as 'Perfect'

The couple will have been happily married for one year Sunday.

One year ago Sunday, then-Jessy Phifer walked down the isle a little earlier than she had planned. Hurricane Irene had gotten to just about everything. Stores were shutting down, the parkway was closed off, communities were evacuating and Phifer's wedding was canceled. “The day of our wedding was crazy,” now-Jessy Phifer Cannon said. “We were supposed to have our rehearsal that day.” Phifer, 30, originally from Lacey Township and her husband Shaun Cannon, 31, a native of Florida, were set for their wedding on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, at the United Methodist Church on Lacey Road. The chaos began two days prior to the planned wedding date, when Phifer was notified by the reception venue Bayfront in Waretown that there had been a power surge…

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Irene a Year Later: R-FH Area Revisited

A look back at the tropical storm and what was realized

Last year, Hurricane Irene did not hit with the voracity it originally threatened in the Rumson-Fair Haven area. The scurry before the storm, however, turned out to be a lesson learned in gratitude for healthy community spirit and preparedness. That lesson has been safely tucked into officials’, business owners’ and residents’ long –term memories until another high tide of storm-watch rolls in. When Irene was looming, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, for the first time in history, was set up as regional evacuation shelter, “with food, water, cots and generators,” Rumson Mayor John Ekdahl recalled. “Rumson issued a ‘mandatory’ evacuation for several hundred residents in low-lying, flood-prone sections of the borough (near the …

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Irene a Year Later: Storm Prompts JCP&L Improvements

Residents can now report home and street light outages on Web site

After Irene was finally done flooding roads and knocking out power a year ago, it pushed Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) to make it easier for residents to report outages. Outages in the Rumson-Fair Haven area were sporadic. But, governing body leaders in the area were all complaining about slow response and rallying for efficiency and change at the power company. The company now allows customers to report home and street light outages at its 24/7 Power Center on the company Web site, which can also be accessed through smart phones when outages leave residents without computer access, said Pete Johner, area manager for JCP&L customer and community relations in Central New Jersey. "After Irene, there were a lot of issues with …

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Hurricane Irene

Irene Wasn't a Hurricane When it Hit NJ, Report Says

The shore received a lashing, but North Jersey took the brunt

Hurricane Irene would have been the first hurricane to make landfall in New Jersey in more than a century, had it actually been packing hurricane-strength winds at the time. But by the time Irene rolled ashore on the Sea Bright Beachs, its wind speed had already decreased to 69 m.p.h. – a full 5 m.p.h. short of hurricane strength – meaning it was actually just a tropical storm. The new findings were released Dec. 14 by the National Hurricane Center, the latest of equivalent post-mortems the agency has posted on every other storm of the 2011 hurricane season. Every year, the hurricane center releases "tropical cyclone reports" on each named storm after hurricane season ends Nov. 30. The report said a storm surge of 3 to 5 feet along the …

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Local Mayors Support North Jersey Towns' Movement to Dump JCP&L

Dempsey and Doherty say company cares more about profits than customers

As two northern New Jersey municipalities are asking the state for permission to switch from Jersey Central Power & Light to another electricity provider, the mayors of Manasquan and Belmar, whose residents are JCP&L customers, said they wished they could do the same. Last week, Robbinsville and Warren Township filed requests to the state Board of Public Utilities for permission to switch to Public Service Electric & Gas, while 14 other towns are also considering the same move, the Star Ledger reported Dec. 2. But both municipalities border the PSE&G grid and a portion of Robbinsville is already powered by the company, while Manasquan and Belmar are miles away. Both Manasquan Mayor George Dempsey and his Belmar counterpart Matthew Doherty …

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Hurricane Irene

FEMA Assistance Extended for Irene Damage

Deadline extended to Nov. 30.

At the request of the state, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is extending the registration deadline for renters, homeowners and business owners who suffered damage from Hurricane Irene. Those affected by the storm and flooding now have until Nov. 30 to register for disaster assistance. “We've extended the registration deadline for people who–for whatever reason–have not had the opportunity to register for assistance,” said William L. Vogel, FEMA's federal coordinating officer. “The goal is to ensure all eligible Irene survivors have the chance to seek assistance.” There are three ways to register: go to www.disasterassistance.gov, m.fema.gov or call FEMA toll-free, 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Those with access or functional needs …

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Hurricane Irene

Time is Ticking: Only 30 Days to Register for Hurricane Aid

The deadline to register for FEMA aid is quickly approaching

A message from the Federal Emergency Management Agency: Families, individuals and businesses in New Jersey that suffered damage from Hurricane Irene have only about 30 days remaining to register for federal assistance. The deadline for registering for assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is Oct. 31, 2011. The deadline to submit loan applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is also Oct. 31. SBA loan applications are a key part of the FEMA registration process. If you are a homeowner or renter and SBA determines you cannot afford a loan, you may be referred for other possible assistance. Additional information is available at www.sba.gov or 1-800-659-2955. The standard flood insurance policies …

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