Community Corner

MONDAY STORM UPDATE: Hehnly School, Some Clark Homes Still Without Power; Lights on in Garwood

No word on whether or not the school will be closed tomorrow.

Update, 3 p.m., Monday

CLARK: Power was restored yesterday to several sections of Clark that were still in the dark. PSEG crews worked near Lake Avenue, closing off a section of the roadway, and restored power to several homes in the area. (The road is now fully open.) According to Emergency Management Coordinator Jerry Fewkes, there are a few homes along Briarheath Lane and towards the Clark Pool that are still without power in that area.

Hehnly School is still without power, according to Fewkes. No word yet on whether or not school will be in session tomorrow.

Find out what's happening in Clark-Garwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Fewkes estimates that only about 10-percent of Clark residents are still without power, including homes in the area of Fulton Street where a large tree limb is pulling down wires and the road is closed off.

The Clark Department of Public Works is already out collecting branches that residents have put out curbside, according to Fewkes.

Find out what's happening in Clark-Garwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

GARWOOD: Garwood Police confirmed that the 50 or some homes along Willow Avenue who were without power since the storm had their power restored last night.

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Update, 3 p.m., Sunday

CLARK: Many Clark residents who had lost power yesterday were pleasantly surprised to have it restored around 1 a.m. last night.

According to Emergency Management Coordinator Jerry Fewkes, some areas are still without power including many homes from Valley Road down to Broadway. Fewkes does not have an specific estimate from PSEG of when power will be returned to these areas, but the power company has said as late as Wednesday is possible for many areas of Union County.

"Power was restored in one area of Valley Road, but unfortunately that created another situation where the wires that were down in front of the school became live," said Fewkes. Police have cordoned off the area and are waiting for PSEG.

Valley Road is still closed off in the section where the downed wires are, from Liberty Street down to Fulton Street. Cars are being detoured around the blockage. According to Fewkes, there are no other major road closings due to downed wires or trees.

Downed trees didn't cause too much major damage to homes, according to Fewkes. "The couple that I know of that did come down either did not hit the house or didn't go through a house or destroy anything."

GARWOOD: The bulk of the downed strees have been cleared in Garwood, according to Garwood PD. However, those 50 or so homes along Willow Avenue that were without power yesterday are still without power today. Garwood PD does not have an estimate as to when power will be restored.

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Original Story

Clark and Garwood are dealing with downed trees and wires and power outages as a result of the unseasonably early snowstorm that is expected to continue until 2 a.m. Sunday.

Clark Emergency Management Coordinator Jerry Fewkes said a good portion of the town is in the dark and he's unsure when lights will turn back on. According to PSE&G, up to 2,000 customers are without power in Clark as of 7 p.m. Saturday. PSE&G spokeswoman Melissa Ficuciello said it could be Monday before all power is restored.

Most roads are passable in Clark with the exception of Valley Road, of which a portion is blocked off due to a downed wire, Fewkes said.

If there is enough demand for a shelter, Fewkes said they will open the First Aid building on Raritan Road to those who need power and heat. However, no decision has been made as of 7:15 p.m.

In Garwood, police say about 50 homes are without power on Willow Avenue. All major thoroughfares are open, including North and South Avenues.

Garwood PD also is not enforcing the snow ordinance that requires residents to move their cars off the roadways.


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