Princeton Hurricane Sandy Election Day Update

The Occupy Hurricane Sandy relief drop off area at Infini-T Cafe on Hulfish Street in downtown Princeton.

For election day polling information and where to park if you are voting at Princeton University’s Jadwin Gym, please visit our previous story.

POWER

Several pockets of Princeton were still without power Monday as officials pressed PSE&G for a more detailed timetable on power restoration dates. As of Monday PSE&G said 68 Princeton Borough and 358 Township customers were still without power. The company provided a timetable to restore the remaining customers over the next five days, much longer than was originally projected. No details were provided to officials on individual areas and priorities.

Compounding that frustration, it appears that PSE&G had many people listed as having power restored when in fact their power was still out. As one officials explained it, when a neighborhood is brought back on line, the company assumes every home has power back. Numerous readers reported calling PSE&G yesterday only to find that their street was listed as having power restored, when in fact they were still in the dark (and cold). It could be worse though. You could be a JCP&L customer. Those customers have received even less information than PSE&G customers over the last week. West Windsor residents who are served by JCP&L were told by police yesterday to call the power company to report their outages again because the company somehow reset all the data.

The warming center at the John Witherspoon Middle School on Walnut Lane is still open and will remain open until the rest of the community has its power restored. The center offers hot showers, Wifi, recharging stations, coffee, snacks, and a place to sleep if needed. Visitors should bring their own toiletries, towels, blankets and pillows. The entrance to the center is off of Guyot Avenue. The center at JW is now the only warming center now operating in Princeton. Yesterday we inaccurately reported that two churches were still open. We regret the error. The Montgomery Community Center is still open for Montgomery residents who need a place to warm up, and Hopewell  Township now has a shelter at the Union Fire House on Route 29.

GOVERNMENT

State and county are open, as are municipal offices. . The tax deadline for Princeton residents has been extended until Nov. 21 because of Hurricane Sandy.

Recycling and trash collection will take place on a regular schedule except for areas that the garbage trucks are unable to get to.

SCHOOLS

All of the public and private schools in our area reopened yesterday with the exception of Stuart Country Day and the Lewis School. Stuart reopens today. The Lewis School is closed today.

All area colleges are in session

TRANSIT AND TRAFFIC

New Jersey Transit is operating on a special schedule from Trenton to New York until further notice. The Dinky is not in operation, but NJ Transit is providing shuttles to and from the Dinky station to the Junction. Princeton University’s Tiger Transit is no longer making the trip to and from Princeton Junction to meet each train. (this item updated Tues. at 1 p.m.)

NJ Transit buses in our areas are running on a regular schedule.

Coach/Suburban Transit will return to a regular schedule today. 

SEPTA is operating on a normal schedule.

Limited PATH  service was restored today. The Journal Square-33 line will run from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. No stops at Christopher St. or 9th St.

SHOPPING, ENTERTAINMENT, ACTIVITIES

Most Princeton businesses are now open.  Power is back at the Princeton Shopping Center. The New York Sports Club reopened Saturday and is welcoming any Princeton resident to stop by and use the shower and gym facilities. Princeton Fitness & Wellness Center has also owned its doors to the community for workout and showers,  but asks that visitors bring their own towels and limit water usage. An alert went out Sunday informing club members that because of storm-related problems being experienced by NJ American Water, the club’s water supply has been diminished. To avoid closing the center and to be able to provide all additional services, the club has had to reduce the demand on water by limiting access to some showers and toilets.

Power was restored to the Whole Foods shopping center Sunday. MarketFair, the Quakrbridge Mall, the Mercer Mall and Forrestal Village also have power.

McCarter Theatre has power and programs will go on as scheduled.

The Princeton Public Library will be open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. today and normal programming has been restored.

The Arts Council of Princeton also regained power yesterday and is back on a normal schedule.

The Princeton Center for Yoga and Heath has resumed its normal schedule.

The YMCA/YWCA building has power back.

DISASTER RELIEF

Infini-T Cafe at 4 Hulfish St and Nassau Barbers at 68 Chamber Street are serving as drop off locations for non-perishable food, medical supplies, toiletries and blankets  as part of Occupy Sandy Relief. The collection will be ongoing.

D’Angelo Italian Market on Spring Street in Princeton made a few deliveries to organizations that are helping the residents of Breezy Point and Rockaway, two areas badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy. The family is evaluating the needs of the residents and will then decide what items to continue collecting.

If you know of  something that should be added to the list or have a question, please let us know by emailing editor@planetprinceton.com, or call (609) 375-8920.