Hurricane Sandy

TELL US: Hope for Woodbridge? Gov Wants Sandy Home Buyouts in Middlesex County

Gov. Chris Christie wants to use millions in federal Sandy bailout money to buy flood-prone homes in Middlesex County - including Woodbridge.

Gov. Chris Christie wants to spend $250 million of federal money to buy out homes that are subject to perpetual flooding. But he doesn't want to do the buy outs in shore communities. The governor said he wants to direct that money to buy flood-prone homes in Middlesex County, according to a report on northjersey.com. The county has flooding issues with communites located along the Raritan River, Raritan Bay, and the Arthur Kill. Perth Amboy, Old Bridge, and Sayreville were all hard hit by Hurricane Sandy. But Woodbridge's flood problem has been historically ignored, even though 606 homes experienced damage from the hurricane - 116 with minor damage, 449 with major damage, and 44 homes where the storm damage was labeled as 'severe'. The …

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Salon Hopes to Raise $25K for Sandy Relief

Vito Mazza Spa & Salon will be open this Sunday as part of their efforts to raise money for hurricane victims in Woodbridge and beyond.

A Woodbridge salon is opening their doors this Sunday, all to raise money for hurricane relief. Vito Mazza Salon & Spa on Main Street will be hosting a special event this Sunday, December 2, from 10 am to 5 pm. All money raised from haircuts, colorings and other spa services, and 10 percent of all gift card sales will be donated to Hurricane Sandy victims. Woodbridge residents who were hard hit by the hurricane storm surge will be first on the list, said Ann Mazza, the salon's event coordinator. The rest of the money will be given out via goods and gift cards to shore residents who are still reeling from the hurricane's impact. In addition to other promotions throughout December, the salon is hoping to raise $25,000 for hurricane relief …

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Hurricane Sandy

VIDEO: Sewaren Homes Condemned from Sandy Storm Surge; Residents Need Help

Foundations are destroyed in Sewaren homes - they are worried about what else the storm surge from Hurricane Sandy dredged up in Woodbridge.

When Hurricane Sandy devastated the Sewaren waterfront, Cliff Road was full of gawkers and sightseers, all with cameras to take pictures of the boats piled up like discarded toys. But a few blocks away, the more modest homes on Sewaren's side streets experienced up to 6 ft. of devastation as branches of the Woodbridge River flooded from the storm surge. On S. Robert Street in Sewaren, Blake Rutherford counts himself fortunate. The foundation of his renovated home is still intact. He can't say the same for his neighbor. "This is what happened during the storm," Rutherford said as he pointed to a gaping hole in what used to be the enclosed basement of his neighbor's home.  The storm surge lifted up Rutherford's fence and forced opened his …

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Hurricane Sandy

VIDEO: Hurricane Sandy Tears Through Woodbridge

Parts of the township are already swamped by the hurricane.

It was all the usual suspects who got hit hard today by Hurricane Sandy - that is, the Crampton Avenue section of Woodbridge. Street after street in the area of town off Rahway Avenue looked less like a lake - as they do in the flooding that always hits that area - and more like an extension of Raritan Bay. Residents in that section of town feared the worse is yet to come. The real view of Sandy's power was in Sewaren. The bay was churning like mad, the buoys ringing back and forth like church bells, and the waves crashed on and swamped the boat ramp and dock. That didn't stop Woodbridge sightseers from venturing out in the weather and taking shots of the hurricane's power. More is to come before Sandy leaves Woodbridge. Follow Woodbridge…

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Woodbridge to Sell Impound Vehicles

Need a car? If you're lucky, you can drive away with a steal.

Are you in the market for a used car? You might be in luck: Woodbridge is auctioning off more than 120 vehicles from its impound lot in the Sewaren section of the township. The auction is slated to be held on Tuesday, October 30, at the township lot located at 28 Arbor Street in Sewaren. There won't be much time, though, to inspect the vehicles. Registration for the auction and the preview is at 8 am; the auction starts at 9 am sharp. The vehicles range from total beaters to some in excellent condition, spanning all makes and models. Some run, many don't, and if you're really lucky, the vehicle you set your heart on may come with keys. Many of the vehicles are disabled or abandoned; their sale helps pay back the township for the cost of …

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Jesus Statue Falls Victim to GPS Thief

A statue of Jesus Christ stored in a Sewaren garage got the brunt of a tussle between a thief and a car-mounted GPS unit.

A 24-inch statue of Jesus Christ stored in a garage was broken as a thief was going about lifting a mounted GPS device from a vehicle parked inside the structure. Woodbridge police reported that the homeowner's son was installing the $200 Magellan GPS unit on his 81-year-old mother's car on Sunday, August 26, while moving items out and about the garage area. The son told police that he didn't recall anyone suspicious in the area, but that the First Baptist Church across the street was letting out as he was going about installing the GPS in the car. The home is located on Sherman Street in the Sewaren section of Woodbridge.  Police said that the thief had entered the side door of the unlocked garage and used his own tools to unscrew the …

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Yoga Class to Benefit Avenel Fire Victims

The free class will be collecting donations at Comfort & Balance Saturday morning.

Grab your yoga mat and head over to Comfort & Balance in Sewaren next Saturday, where you can get enjoy a free yoga class and help the victims of last month’s apartment fire in Avenel at the same time. The Outdoor Beginners Yoga Class is a free event, open to all ages and yoga levels.  Donations are encouraged, as 100% of the donations collected will benefit the Avenel Apartment Fire Victims.  An anonymous donor box will be out at the class so those interested can donate cash, checks, or active gift cards. The class runs from 9-10 AM on August 25th, though those wishing to attend are asked to arrive by 8:50 for check-in.  Those wishing to take the class are also advised to bring a large beach towel to place under their yoga mat.  The …

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PSE&G Investigates Building a Gas-Fired Power Plant in Sewaren

The energy utility company is asking the NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection for approval to add to its Sewaren cogeneration facilities.

By Tom Johnson NJ Spotlight  Faced with the loss of generating capacity due to more stringent air pollution rules, PSEG Power is considering building a 625-megawatt gas–fired power plant in Sewaren, according to company officials. Although it says no final decision has been made to build the unit, the company is seeking an air pollution permit for the facility from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and is in the interconnection queue with PJM Interconnection, the operator of the regional power grid. The decision to go ahead with the plant could be significant to the state and consumers, who pay some of the highest electric prices in the country. This is primarily because of congestion on the grid and high prices …

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Tom Maras

8:27 am on Saturday, March 3, 2012

Once again, you demean the noble fox by assuming tweetiexx is me. Apparently, to your chagrin, there really are others that hold Mac in something less than high regard. Frankly, if the project brings clean, lower cost energy, jobs and a higher ratable to the township, I favor the project, subject to knowing how the gas will be brought to the plant. This project is way above Mac’s pay grade. So, …   more ›

Dozens of Cyclists Take On 30-Mile Tour de Woodbridge

From The Club at Woodbridge to Fords, Sewaren, Iselin, Colonia, and more.

Dozens of cycling enthusiasts gathered in the pre-dawn hours in the parking lot of the Club at Woodbridge Sunday morning, eager to kick off the fourth annual Tour de Woodbridge – a 30-plus mile bike tour that takes riders throughout the township. “We want to get people from Woodbridge and the surrounding communities to get out and be active,” said Jeff Marmelstein, director of the Tour de Woodbridge, as bikers trickled in to the Club to gather their racing bibs and complementary tour shirts.  “We’re letting people see that you can bike around Woodbridge.” Marmelstein, an avid cyclist himself, organized and participated in the 30 mile trek that passed through Woodbridge proper, Avenel, Colonia, Fords, and Sewaren.  Approximately 50 cyclists…

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Hurricane Irene

How Sewaren Fared During Irene

The Sewaren Marina made it through the hurricane in surprisingly good shape.

With hurricanes, it's easy to get caught up in the hype and hyperbole of the storm.  Sewaren is the one place in the township that has a waterfront exposure. Homeowners over the decades have been buffeted by hurricanes and nor'easters, some of which have caused major damage to Sewaren homes and property. Captain Sal Cursi, who owns Cathy Sea Charters, a fishing excursion business in Sewaren, has seen many storms pass through the area over the years.  And while he respects Hurricane Irene and the dangerous weather it brought, he knows enough not to panic. "It looks like it's going to be intense, but all hurricanes go counterclockwise," said Cursi, who operates Cathy Sea Charters on the Sewaren waterfront.  "The brunt of the storm is coming …

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