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Derecho Storm

Friday, September 21, 2012

NJOEM Offers Small Business Loans for Those Who Suffered Damage During Derecho

Loans are up to $200,000, and will be available in Hamilton Township from Sept. 25-Oct. 4.

Homeowners in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties who had their homes damaged during the derecho storm of June 30 are now eligible for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans of up to $200,000, the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) announced on Friday, Sept. 21. They are also eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, NJOEM said. From Tuesday, Sept. 25-Thursday, Oct. 4, SBA officials will be on hand at Disaster Loan Outreach centers from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Hamilton Township Town Hall on 6101 Thirteenth Street in Mays Landing will be the Disaster Loan Outreach center in Atlantic County. On Saturday, Sept. 29, the center will be open…

Monday, September 3, 2012

Branch Collection to Continue Through Sept. 28

Branches must be on the curb by Sept. 10.

Debris from this summer's derecho will be collected through the end of this month, Galloway Police announced via Nixle. The Galloway Township Public Works Department will continue branch collection related to the June 30 storm through Sept. 28, the final date for collection.  Branches must be placed curbside by Sept. 10, police said. Galloway residents may still bring branches to the Galloway Road Compost Site on the first Friday and Saturday of each month between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., according to the announcement from police. For further information, call Galloway Township Public Works at 652-3700, ext. 255.  

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

School Board Recognizes District Employees Who Helped in Derecho Aftermath

The 14 staffers were honored Monday night.

The Galloway Township Board of Education recognized more than a dozen employees for going above and beyond the call of duty by helping in the aftermath of the June 30 derecho storm at its meeting Monday night, Aug. 27 at the middle school. The 14 staffers did not stay after school, tutoring students at the end of the 2011-12 school year. Instead, they stepped forward and helped out at the Galloway Township Middle School following the derecho. "This room," Superintendent of Schools Dr. Annette Giaquinto said of the middle school's cafeteria, " was used a shelter." The room, as officials termed it, was a "cooling station" for local seniors and other residents who needed a cool place to come to following the June storm. Many people were …

Monday, July 30, 2012

Disaster Loans Available for Certain Atlantic County Nonprofits

It's part of the Presidential Disaster Declaration following last month's derecho.

Certain private non-profit organizations (PNP) in three New Jersey counties, including Atlantic County, may be eligible for up to $2 million in disaster loans, the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) announced late Monday morning, July 30. PNPs that do not provide critical services of a governmental nature in Atlantic, Cumberland and Salem counties may be eligible for the loans in the wake of a Presidential declaration for Public Assistance following the derecho that tore through the Mid-Atlantic Region one month ago, the SBA said. The declaration was made for state and eligible local governments, and certain nonprofits on July 19. Examples of nonprofits that may be eligible include food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, …

Area Farmers Struggle With Drought Gripping the Country

One Galloway farmer believes it's a sign of things to come.

While there are some farmers in the area who believe the drought is coming to an end and their fortunes will pick up, at least one Galloway farmer is bracing for the long haul. Franics Leader, a Galloway Township resident since 1989, is an organic CSA farmer who runs Growing Home on a piece of farmland on Moss Mill Road. He said the drought that has been debilitating to many farmers in the area and around the country hasn’t had much of an impact on his crops. “I’m fortunate because I grow a variety, and I always have something to pick,” Leader said. “I get to choose what goes in the basket. There’s always plenty of volume so people are happy.” It’s been more difficult for other farmers in the area. “We had a very rough start,” reported …

joe roesch

9:51 am on Monday, July 30, 2012

Dealing with this summer heat you need to irriagate your crops. About 10 yrs ago when I was still farming we watered for 59 days straight at the cost of $8000 for diesel fuel. The pumps were running about 20 hrs a day with me getting 3-4 hrs of sleep each day. This summer has NOT been the worst, thats for sure. But it's up there. People have to understand farmers don't get paid vacations, …   more ›

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Galloway Township Recognizes Derecho Responders

Council honored those who helped in the wake of the June 30 storm Tuesday night.

Galloway Township Council recognized multiple groups of people who provided help for residents in need following the Derecho storm of June 30 that left residents throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region without power and surrounded by downed power lines and trees. Galloway Superintendent of Schools Dr. Annette Giaquinto thanked her staff and those who manned the middle school, which served as a cooling center for those without power. Chuck Uhl, Michael Brandenberger and Alan Kane thanked police and emergency management personnel, as well as volunteers, including the Herschman Family of Shawn and Sallye and sons Kyle and Daniel. Check out the video from Tuesday night's meeting.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Greater Egg Schools to Seek Federal Aid Following Derecho

Atlantic County was approved for aid last week.

Two of the high schools within Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District fared well in the June 30 storm that left many areas in Atlantic County with fallen limbs and downed power lines, structural damage and no electrical power. At Oakcrest High School, Distinct Business Administrator Charles Muller said "there were a lot of trees down but fortunately there wasn’t any structural damage at any of the buildings." He informed board members at the meeting of Monday night, July 23 that the district could be eligible for reimbursement for cleanup of the fallen trees, limbs and other debris since Atlantic County had been declared a disaster area. The necessary documentation is being accumulated in order to be forwarded to the government, …

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Federal Aid Approved for Atlantic County in Wake of Derecho

Cumberland and Salem counties will also receive aid following the storm that tore through the Mid-Atlantic Region June 30.

President Barack Obama made a federal disaster declaration for three New Jersey counties, including Atlantic, following the derecho that tore through the Mid-Atlantic Region on June 30, Gov. Chris Christie announced late Thursday afternoon, July 19. The other two counties covered by the declaration are Cumberland and Salem. The declaration allows for federal assistance to state and eligible local governments, as well as certain nonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by disaster, Christie said. Following the storm, which brought with it winds of around 70 miles an hour and left unexpected damage, Atlantic City Electric customers lost power. At the height of the outages, 206,000 …

wendy seidman

8:30 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012

WHAT ABOUT FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS?   more ›

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Volunteers Available to County Seniors And Disabled Residents For Tree Removal

They will be available from July 21-Aug. 18, according to Galloway Police.

Volunteers will be available to help Atlantic County seniors and disabled residents cut and move fallen trees between Saturday, July 21 and Saturday, Aug. 18, Galloway Police announced via Nixle. The volunteers will work free of charge and will provide their own equipment, according to police. The service is being offered in the wake of a derecho that struck the Mid-Atlantic Region on June 30. While power has been restored to those residents who lost it temporarily, the full cleanup throughout the county is ongoing. Those in need of assistance, or those who wish to volunteer, may call New Jersey's 2-1-1 hotline, ext. 21.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Ocean County Freeholders Praise JCP&L's Restoration Efforts

Atlantic City Electric was met with a tougher task.

For months, Ocean County Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari criticized officials of Jersey Central Power & Light over a lack of communication and a lack of responsiveness in the wake of Hurricane Irene. On Wednesday, Vicari said the company's response after a powerful thunderstorm rolled through the Shore area was much better. "We got a personal commitment from their president for extra crews and extra manpower," Vicari said, citing a meeting he had with JCP&L president Don Lynch that occurred July 3. "JCP&L did keep their word," he said. "Under the conditions they did a good job." The fast-moving thunderstorm, which packed wind gusts up to 78 mph and lightning that killed a woman in Monmouth Beach and struck numerous trees and buildings …

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