Sunday, August 28, 2011
With part of the parkway closed and the Lacey United Methodist Church opening as a shelter, a couple must get married one day earlier than planned
With smiles on their faces and twinkles in their eyes Jessy Phifer and Shaun Cannon said, “I do.” No hurricane was going to keep them from getting married. Phifer, 29, of Lacey and Cannon, 30, a native of Florida, were set for their wedding on Saturday, Aug. 27 but little did they know the biggest storm to hit the region in over two decades would strike on their big day. The chaos began one day ago, when their reception venue Bayfront in Waretown notified Phifer that there had been a power surge. The couple then planned to hold their reception at the Lacey United Methodist Church after the ceremony. As Phifer got pampered, getting her nails done and a spray tan, she had her heart set on getting married tomorrow. “I thought, 'We are going …
The township experienced downed trees and flooding
Lacey Township is bustling once again. Cars are out on the road and stores are open. Residents are walking their dogs, flying kites and driving around taking photos of the impact of Hurricane Irene. Beach Boulevard in Forked River was one of the more affected areas in town with plenty of tidal flooding. Water was well above the knees and swans were swimming on local's property in some areas. Parts of Lacey are still experiencing power outages. According to JCP&L 1,830 customers are without electricity. Feel free to upload your photos to this gallery or e-mail them to elaine.piniat@patch.com.
Local updates on conditions in Lacey Township throughout Hurricane Irene
9:55 a.m. Sunday Lacey Township escaped Hurricane Irene with little damage, Chief Police William Nally said. “So far we’re looking good,” he said. There has been some minor damage with fallen trees and limbs. Some homes sustained minor damage but the town got through the night with no injuries, he said. Downed trees have been taken care of but there is small debris everywhere, Director of Public Works Casey Parker said. There is some tidal flooding by the lagoons in the Forked River Beach area. Lacey roads did not experience flooding due to the rain and backed up catch basins and no barricades were needed in town, he said. “I think it was much better than they predicted. That’s a good thing,” Parker said. “We were very fortunate.” Parker …
Inspectors will be on site throughout the weekend monitoring conditions
Operators at Oyster Creek Generating Station took the station’s generator off line at approximately 5 p.m., spokesperson Suzanne D’Ambrosio said. Based on the storm conditions, the station began reducing power to 30 percent at 8 a.m. this morning due to the storm projections. The plant’s procedures call for a shutdown if on-site winds are greater than 85 mph. An Unusual Event will be declared if wind speeds reach greater than 99 mph, said Neil Sheehan, spokesperson for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). “Although we cannot predict with certainty whether we will see those wind speeds on the plant site, based on current weather projections and because of Oyster Creek’s proximity to Barnegat Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, it is prudent to …
Ocean County Office of Emergency Management urges residents to stay at home and remain sheltered until damage assessments can be completed
9 a.m. Update: The Ocean County Office of Emergency Management urges residents to stay at home and remain sheltered until damage assessments can be completed. 7 a.m. Update: Crews from the Recreation Department, Public Works and Shade Tree Commission worked overnight to address fallen trees throughout the township. JCP&L is currently reporting 14,000 customers are without power in Toms River. Sunday, Aug. 28, 12:45 a.m. Update: Much of Toms River continues to experience a major power outage, Police Chief Michael Mastronardy said. JCP&L is currently reporting that 7,019 customers are without power. The outage is from County Road 571 down to James Street and Hooper Avenue to Route 9, Mastronardy said. Wires and trees are still down and minor…
Pointers from the Red Cross
For more advice on what to do after a hurricane, visit the Red Cross website.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Volunteers offer dinner; entertainment to follow later this evening
The smell of chicken fills the air at the Lacey United Methodist Church. Tables are set up with flowers and evacuees are greeted with a warm welcome. Only seven elderly residents sought shelter at the church by approximately 6:30 p.m. hoping the storm would pass and they could return to the comfort of their homes. “This is a lovely place and there are caring people,” a woman who asked to remain anonymous said. “They have an excellent cook. My husband wants to take him home.” Her daughter, a resident in Connecticut, was searching for a shelter for the couple. Several of the area shelters are currently full and she came across the Lacey United Methodist Church. A resident of Forked River, she lives on the water, where most people evacuated…
Video footage of the storm hitting Lacey from 3 to 5 p.m.
The road is wet and large puddles are beginning to form in some areas of Lacey Township. The tides are rising and the wind is picking up. Locals are still out on the roads but the town is pretty quiet as people remain indoors and many stores are closed. Send any observations and pictures taken before, during and after the storm to elaine.piniat@patch.com.
The local church will provide shelter for the community and is prepared with food, candles, flashlights and a first aid kit
The Lacey United Methodist Church has opened its doors as a shelter, George Icenhower said. “We’re primarily opening for people who haven’t left and have nowhere to go,” George Icenhower said. “We have a building that we know won’t blow down.” The shelter will be pet-friendly, as long as animals are contained in cages, Icenhower said. He recommends bringing bedding but the church will have candles, flashlights, a first aid kit and food. Volunteers will not necessarily be making meals. The food prepared will be for those who are hungry, Icenhower said. They will have chicken, lunchmeat and soup. The church originally planned to open around 6 p.m. but Icenhower knew it would have to be earlier, he said. Already before noon, residents were …
Observations and images of the 2011 storm surge
After a day of stocking up on water and food, tying down outdoor furniture and trash cans, and packing valuables, the time has finally come. Hurricane Irene is on her way. Some residents have evacuated. Others have chosen to stay in the comfort of their own homes and ride out the storm. What are you doing in the final hours before Irene's approach? Are you still in Lacey? It's possible a power outage will eventually halt our ability to share updates via the Web, but until then, use the comments section at the bottom of this story to tell us and each other what you're doing to get ready, and what things look like out your window, wherever you are. You can also upload your own storm photos – scroll to the bottom of this article and click "…
vanessa
10:00 pm on Monday, August 29, 2011
Awe I agree with Miche name next baby Irene.. This is such a cute love story! Best of Luck . more ›