Politics & Government

Residents Regroup After Hurricane Sandy

Bagel shops overflow in Verona while residents in Verona and Cedar Grove pick up the pieces after Hurricane Sandy.

When Hurricane Sandy struck Verona and Cedar Grove Tuesday, the damage was overwhelming.

Office of Emergency Management of Verona officials said Tuesday 80 to 85 percent of township residents remain without power, while in Cedar Grove, Mayor Peter Tanella said 90 percent of township residents have no power.

The storm ravaged trees in both Verona and Cedar Grove, making driving a treacherous obstacle course. Police are urging residents to stay indoors if possible.

Find out what's happening in Verona-Cedar Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Schools in both Verona and Cedar Grove will be closed on Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Verona Superintendent Steven Forte announced the closing and Halloween events will have to be rescheduled.

Find out what's happening in Verona-Cedar Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Verona Board of Education meeting, scheduled for Tuesday night was rescheduled for Thursday, Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. at town hall, 600 Bloomfield Ave. in Verona.

The meeting was moved to town hall as the township is still working to restore power to the schools.

Cedar Grove schools will also be closed on Wed. with rescheduled Halloween activities.

On Tuesday morning a line stretched out the door and of Bagelwich on Bloomfield Ave. in Verona. People stood in the rain between 20 and 25 minutes to get a bagel and a cup of hot coffee.

“It looks like a battle-zone,” said Verona resident John Dunn. “My two granddaughters wanted bagels, so here I am.”

“I stocked up on food before the storm but now I don't want to open my fridge,” said Caldwell resident John Cascarano who stood on line for 15 minutes for a hot bagel sandwich.

A Verona resident on Sunnyside Place said she was in her house when a tree fell, crashing through the fence and wrecking the above-ground pool.

“I heard it snap and then it crashed through the pool and the fence,” said Shannon Palmer. “Thank God it wasn't the house!”

On Grove Avenue in Cedar Grove residents stopped to take pictures of an enormous tree which fell across the road, taking down power lines and snapping telephone poles on its descent.

Downtown Cedar Grove is entirely without power.

All shops are closed except for Super Foodtown which is running on a backup generator and gas stations are closed, having run out of gas before the storm even hit.

Throughout the town, residents can be seen picking up fallen branches and limbs while helping neighbors who were hit hard by the storm.

Verona-Cedar Grove Patch is looking for your storm photos and stories. Send us pictures of downed trees, wires and damage so we can let your neighbors know.

Email your photos to Associate Editor Eric Goodman at eric.goodman@patch.com or Associate Regional Editor Jack Durschlag at jack.durschlag@patch.com along with caption information and we'll post it.


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