Very Short Video

I took this video about an hour or so ago. It took me that long to remember how to upload a video to youtube... I'm losing my touch. As you can see, it's not too bad here yet. The wind is gusty, and it's getting stronger since I took this. I can hear my house creaking in places in has never creaked before. But as you can also see from the video, the brook isn't flooding, and that's a good thing. And as I am posting this, the power has flickered - but just for a minute. So all in all, my tiny section of Iselin is fine right now. I'm not sure about the rest of town. And with this wind, I'm not really inclined to go out and check the rest of town. Be safe!

The Alert from the Mayor

 This is the press release sent by the Mayor's office.  I highlighted anything I thought was particularly important right now - but really, it's all important.

WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP STORM ALERT ADVISORY
MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012
12:00 P.M.

The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service have posted a Hurricane Watch and Severe Storm alert for the Woodbridge area.  The National Weather Service predicts heavy rainfall, sustained winds, coastal flooding, and above normal high tides may impact Woodbridge through 12:01 A.M. on Wed., Oct. 31, 2012.

The Woodbridge Police Department (WPD), the Office of Emergency Management, Township fire departments and EMS personnel, the Community Emergency Response Team, and the Department of Public Works are closely monitoring storm conditions.  Flooding is occurring along creeks and streams and in low-lying areas of Woodbridge, Avenel and Colonia. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in the lower section of Ideal Trailer Park in Avenel and in the Watson/Crampton section of Woodbridge between Bamford Avenue and the Woodbridge River.  Residents of those areas are being evacuated by the Office of Emergency Management.  The Emergency Shelter has been established at the Woodbridge Community Center, 600 Main Street.  Residents evacuated from their homes are instructed to go to the Emergency Shelter; the Shelter is pet-friendly.  Pets must be on leash or in a pet crate.

 

All Township-sponsored events have been cancelled for Mon., Oct. 29, 2012.  Scheduled trash collection for Tues., Oct. 30 has been cancelled.  Tuesday trash will be collected on Wed., Oct. 31.  Wednesday trash will be collected on Thurs., Nov. 1.  Thursday recycling will be collected on Fri., Nov. 2.  Friday recycling will be collected on Sat., Nov. 3.  Please secure trash containers.  Woodbridge Township Municipal Court will be closed on Mon., Oct. 29 for both the 8:45AM and 6:45PM sessions.  The Woodbridge School District has cancelled all classes for Mon., Oct. 29 and Tues., Oct. 30, 2012.

The Office of Emergency Management has established communications with the State and County Office of Emergency Management and Township utility and service agencies. Given the severity of the storm, residents should expect power outages. Area utility companies will work to restore service as soon as possible following the storm.

Woodbridge Township residents should tune to local TV news and weather reports, TV-35, or log-on to the Township Web Page for specific storm-related announcements. Woodbridge Township Reverse 9-1-1 alerts will be issued as necessary. For updated storm and weather-related information, go to the Woodbridge Township web page at: www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us .

Honeywell Alert

They just called it - 
No School tomorrow in Woodbridge Township School District!

Wanna go for a pizza?

From Pizza Time's Facebook page:

Pizza Time Restaurant - Avenel, NJ

Pizza Time is currently open and ready to serve you.

We will update you accordingly should we be forced to close due to Hurricane Sandy. We hope all of our patrons and their family and friends remain safe.

(I'm NOT recommending that you go out, but if you were going to go out, you could go there!)
UPDATE:  They closed at about 4:00...so don't go for pizza today!

It looks very serious!

No one is taking this storm for granted.  There is a state of emergency in NJ already - this sign is right near Iselin.  The schools have been cancelled for Monday - and even though they didn't cancel for Tuesday yet, I expect that they will.  Everyone is getting ready.  I hope that everyone is wrong, but I don't think they are.  Remember the last storm?  Pennsylvania was hit way harder than we were, and we were hit pretty hard.  There was flooding in neighboorhoods all over, including lots of problems in Woodbridge Township.  Parts of Iselin were without power for several days!  So don't take it for granted - expect the worst. 

Right now, though, with everything ready, the hard part is just waiting and wondering.

Storm Information for Iselin

WOODBRIDGE POSTS HURRICANE STORM ALERT FOR

SUN., OCT. 28 THRU TUES., OCT. 30, 2012

 

National Weather Service Hurricane Center Has Posted a Hurricane Watch and Severe Storm Alert for Woodbridge Area

 

WOODBRIDGE – Mayor John E. McCormac today announced that the National Weather Service Hurricane Center has posted a Hurricane Watch and Severe Storm alert for the Woodbridge area beginning on Sun., Oct. 28 through Tues., Oct. 31, 2012.  A Hurricane Watch and Severe Storm Alert means that hurricane conditions are expected within the watch area.  The National Weather Service predicts heavy rainfall, sustained winds, coastal flooding, and above normal high tides may impact the Woodbridge area from 12:00 P.M. (noon) on Sun., Oct. 28 through 12:01 A.M. on Wed., Oct. 31, 2012.

 

The Woodbridge Township Office of Emergency Management is closely monitoring storm conditions.  Woodbridge Township residents and business-owners in flood-prone areas of Woodbridge, Avenel, and Colonia are reminded to move vehicles to higher ground and to be prepared to undertake emergency procedures should the Woodbridge Township Office of Emergency Management issue specific storm-related warnings.  Residents are encouraged to develop a storm plan in the event of an evacuation notice and to stock-up on non-perishable foods, bottled water, batteries, and a battery-operated radio.  

 

The Woodbridge Township Office of Emergency Management, the Woodbridge Police Department, and the Department of Public Works continue to monitor local storm conditions and are positioned to implement appropriate public safety alerts and operations should the predicted storm result in flooding of low-lying areas.  Should evacuation of flood-prone areas become necessary, residents will be notified via Woodbridge Township Reverse 9-1-1 or door-to-door notification by emergency officers.   If necessary, a shelter location will be established at the Woodbridge Community Center (Main Street, Woodbridge) and/or at other locations should the need arise.  The shelter centers will only open in the event of mandatory evacuation.  No evacuation has been issued at this time.

 

The Woodbridge Police Department (WPD), the Office of Emergency Management, and the Department of Public Works are fully-staffed and will be on-duty throughout the duration of the storm event at key areas throughout the Township to maintain highways and clear debris as necessary.  The Office of Emergency Management has established communications with the State of New Jersey and Middlesex County Offices of Emergency Management and Township utility and service agencies, including PSEG, NJNG, Middlesex Water Co., MCUA, RVSA, and critical public service agencies. All Woodbridge Township fire departments, ambulance services, Community Emergency Response Team, and Auxiliary police officers are on alert status and are available to respond to any emergency situation anywhere in the Township.

 

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene on Aug. 27, 2011, the Department of Public Works began work removing storm debris and frag mites from the flood zones and surrounding properties along the South Branch of

the Rahway River and the Woodbridge River.  The Department of Public Works has removed more than 4,000 tons of silt and debris, 1,100 cubic yards of trees, logs, and brush, and has cleaned storm drains and catch

basins in flood-prone areas.  The Department of Public Works today initiated a Township-wide review of storm drains and catch basins to further remove collected debris in order to alleviate potential flooding. 

 

Woodbridge Township residents should tune to local TV news and weather reports, TV-35, or log-on to the Township Web Page for specific storm-related announcements.  Woodbridge Township Reverse 9-1-1 alerts will be issued as necessary (residents must sign-up to receive Reverse 9-1-1 emergency alerts).  For updated storm and weather-related information, go to the Woodbridge Township web page at: www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us or the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management web page at: http://www.ready.nj.gov/plan/kit-plan.html.

Watching the Weather

I guess everyone has heard about the storm, right?  They are calling it "Frankenstorm."  And it might... or might not... be really really really bad.  I read one place that said it could make landfall in Perth Amboy.  I'm not even kidding.

So I've been thinking about preparation, have you?  Because the thing about BEING PREPARED is that it won't hurt, it can only help.  If nothing happens, what have you lost?  Maybe a little time, that's about it.

I'm NOT stocking up on milk and eggs, because I don't use them that much anyway.  And besides, if we lose power, what good will they be?  I'm already stocked up on other kinds of food, food that I know how to prepare without electricity, and that won't spoil.

I have a bunch of jugs of water, and I put them all in my freezer.  I'm thinking that if I lose electric, I don't usually lose water, but I'll have the water if I need it.  And if I lose electric, my freezer will be full of these huge blocks of ice already, and everything will stay colder longer.

I've got plenty of batteries and a few of those really good little LED flashlights and a radio.

And the day before the storm, I'm going to go around my yard and clean up all the summer stuff.  It had to be done eventually anyway, right?  I'm going to put away the table and chairs and umbrella and decorations, and basically make sure nothing is laying around.

I read this "Public Information Statement" from the National Weather service... the capital letters are theirs, not mine:

...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...

...PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION FOR THE UPCOMING COASTAL STORM...

THERE IS AN INCREASING CHANCE THAT A STRONG COASTAL STORM WILL TRACK 
CLOSE TO THE TRI STATE AREA EARLY NEXT WEEK. WHETHER OR NOT TROPICAL 
SYSTEM SANDY REMAINS A TROPICAL CYCLONE BY THE TIME OF ITS CLOSEST 
APPROACH TO US...SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO THE AREA COULD BE FELT AS 
EARLY AS SUNDAY AND LAST THROUGH AT LEAST TUESDAY. NOW IS THE TIME 
TO START PLANNING FOR THESE POTENTIAL IMPACTS.

STAY INFORMED BY MONITORING THE LATEST HURRICANE AND TROPICAL STORM 
ADVISORIES IN ADDITION TO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOCAL 
FORECASTS. LISTEN TO RADIO AND TELEVISION REPORTS...AS WELL AS NOAA 
WEATHER RADIO TO GET THE LATEST ADVISORY UPDATES.

SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. FIND 
OUT IF YOU LIVE WITHIN A STORM SURGE EVACUATION ZONE. KNOW THE 
LOCATION OF DESIGNATED OFFICIAL SHELTERS AND LEARN THE MOST DIRECT 
SAFE ROUTE TO GET THERE. MOST SHELTERS WILL NOT ALLOW PETS...AND 
SOME SHELTERS HAVE FACILITIES FOR THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS...SO TAKE 
THESE INTO CONSIDERATION. ADDITIONALLY...KNOW YOUR EVACUATION ROUTES 
IN ADVANCE. MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION MAY BE FOUND AT YOUR LOCAL TOWN 
HALL...OR ON THE INTERNET AT YOUR COUNTY'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY 
WEBSITE.

LISTEN CAREFULLY TO LOCAL OFFICIALS AND EVACUATE THE AREA IF TOLD TO 
DO SO. IF YOU DO NOT EVACUATE TO AN OFFICIAL SHELTER...YOU MAY 
CONSIDER STAYING AT A FRIEND'S OR RELATIVE'S HOME OUT OF THE 
EVACUATION ZONE. LEAVE LOW LYING OR COASTAL AREAS...AS WELL AS 
OFFSHORE ISLANDS. THESE ARE THE LOCATIONS MOST PRONE TO STORM SURGE. 
STORM SURGE IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF A STORM SUCH AS THIS ONE. 
THE SURGE IS A DOME OF WATER THAT COMES ACROSS THE COAST AS THE 
STORM MAKES LANDFALL. IF YOU LIVE CLOSE TO THE COAST IN A MOBILE 
HOME YOU SHOULD EVACUATE TO A MORE SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER...EVEN IF YOU 
ARE NOT IN A STORM SURGE PRONE AREA.

SEVERAL INCHES OF RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE A POSSIBILITY WITH THIS 
STORM. BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF NEEDING TO HEAD TO HIGHER 
GROUND IF YOU LIVE NEAR FLOOD PRONE RIVERS AND STREAMS.

IF EVACUATION IS NOT REQUIRED OR RECOMMENDED...STAY AT HOME IF YOUR 
HOUSE IS STURDY AND ON HIGH GROUND.

STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE FOR A RELATIVELY LONG 
DURATION OF TIME. BE PREPARED FOR THE POTENTIAL OF PROPERTY DAMAGE 
AND AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF POWER OUTAGES.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING SUPPLIES...

OBTAIN A PORTABLE...BATTERY OPERATED RADIO ALONG WITH A FRESH
SUPPLY OF BATTERIES. A RADIO WILL BE ONE OF YOUR MOST USEFUL
SOURCES OF INFORMATION.

OBTAIN SEVERAL FLASHLIGHTS WITH FRESH BATTERIES. USE OF CANDLES
FOR LIGHTING IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR SAFETY REASONS.

HAVE ENOUGH EXTRA BATTERIES TO LAST FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THERE MAY BE
NO ELECTRICITY AFTER THE STORM.

HAVE A FULL TANK OF GASOLINE IN YOUR AUTOMOBILE. NEVER LET YOUR 
VEHICLE GAS TANK BE LESS THAN HALF FULL DURING A STORM LIKE THIS. 
ELECTRICALLY OPERATED GAS PUMPS MAY FAIL DURING THE STORM.

OBTAIN CANNED GOODS AND NON PERISHABLE FOODS. THERE MAY BE NO 
ELECTRICITY OR GAS AFTER THE STORM...SO STORE PACKAGED FOODS WHICH 
CAN BE PREPARED WITHOUT COOKING AND NEED NO REFRIGERATION. REFILL 
NEEDED PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS.

OBTAIN CONTAINERS FOR DRINKING WATER. HAVE CLEAN...AIR TIGHT 
CONTAINERS TO STORE A SUFFICIENT WATER SUPPLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS. 
THE WATER SUPPLY WILL POSSIBLY BE INTERRUPTED OR CONTAMINATED.

OBTAIN MATERIALS FOR PROTECTING GLASS OPENINGS. HAVE SHUTTERS OR 
LUMBER FOR PROTECTING LARGE WINDOWS AND DOORS. USE MASKING TAPE ON 
SMALL WINDOWS. PUTTING TAPE ON GLASS WINDOWS OR DOORS WILL NOT 
PREVENT FLYING DEBRIS FROM BREAKING THE GLASS...BUT WILL MINIMIZE 
THE SPREADING AND SHATTERING OF GLASS IF THE WINDOW DOES BREAK.

HAVE MATERIALS FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS. YOUR INSURANCE POLICY MAY
COVER THE COST OF MATERIALS USED IN TEMPORARY REPAIRS...SO KEEP
ALL RECEIPTS. THESE WILL ALSO BE HELPFUL FOR ANY INCOME TAX
DEDUCTIONS.

FOR THE MARINE COMMUNITY...MOOR YOUR BOAT SECURELY OR MOVE IT TO 
SAFE SHELTER. 

FINALLY...DONT FORGET TO BRING PETS INDOORS...AND SECURE OUTDOOR 
OBJECTS IF NOT BRINGING THEM INDOORS AS WELL.

DISCUSS STORM PREPAREDNESS WITH YOUR FAMILY. SHARE YOUR IDEAS WITH 
FRIENDS...NEIGHBORS AND RELATIVES. PREPAREDNESS IS A JOB FOR 
EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.

FOR ADDITIONAL HELP OR ASSISTANCE ON STORM PREPAREDNESS...PLEASE 
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY OR YOUR LOCAL 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. IT IS BEST TO FORMULATE YOUR 
PREPAREDNESS PLAN WELL IN ADVANCE OF A STORM SYSTEM...DO NOT WAIT 
UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE.

a Kickstarter Campaign for a Documentary on Little India

Have you ever heard of Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is a place that creative people can go to get funding for creative projects. You can find all kinds of projects on Kickstarter, and then common people like you and I can chip in on the ideas that excite us.

According to the Kickstarter web site:

Kickstarter 101

What's Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is a funding platform for creative projects. Everything from films, games, and music to art, design, and technology. Kickstarter is full of ambitious, innovative, and imaginative projects that are brought to life through the direct support of others.

Since our launch on April 28, 2009, over $350 million has been pledged by more than 2.5 million people, funding more than 30,000 creative projects.

And now, a guy named Mike has proposed a project. He would like to make a documentary about Little India. Take a look at his project on his Kickstarter Page! On his page, Mike says this:

"As a 22 year former resident of New Jersey, and more specifically Edison, I witnessed first hand the early stages of Indian business development along Oak Tree Road. Now, nearly 10 years later, I plan to return and venture to the heart of Little India and learn more about how the area has been revitalized over the years. This documentary will also provide those who haven't had a chance to visit, an up-close look at the amazing slice of India that exists in New Jersey.

I plan to interview local residents to get their take on how the area has changed over the years, but most importantly, I would like to interview the local business owners who are responsible for the enormous growth and evolution of the area."

If this project interests you, head over to Mike's Kickstarter page, and help him out!

Iselin Middle School's Harvest Festival!

Be there or be scared!