Hurricane Sandy

PSEG's Sewaren Substation is Back Online; 20,000 Get Their Power Restored

In the latest update from the electric utility, 97 percent who lost power during Sandy have the lights back on.

The clouds are lifting in PSEG's service area. Ninety-seven percent of the utility's 1.7 million customers affected by Hurricane Sandy last week have had their power restored, the company said in their latest update. That leaves 45,000 still without power from the hurricane. More good news from Wednesday's nor'easter is that 20,000 customers who lost power had it restored by 8 pm Thursday night. This included customers affected by an equipment failure in the substation located in the Sewaren section of Woodbridge. Affected customers who got their lights back on last night were located in portions of Woodbridge Proper, Port Reading, Carteret, Linden, Metuchen, Union, Elizabeth, Kenilworth, Perth Amboy, Roselle, Roselle Park, Westfield, …

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Sandwich Boards, Other Signs Permitted at Cranbury Businesses

Businesses can use certain signs without planning board approval, according to the recently adopted ordinance.

Cranbury businesses will have more flexibility posting signs outside their storefronts without planning board approval. An ordinance passed unanimously Monday night allows for businesses on Main Street to use sandwich board-type signs and those that come off the business to be used. Businesses on Route 130 can also use temporary or permanent signs closer to the roadway without planning board approval, according to Township Committee member Jay Taylor, who was part of a subcommittee that recommended the changes.  “The businesses are key to our town,” Taylor said in an email. “They not only generate tax revenue, but many family memories are formed at our businesses whether it's getting an ice cream cone after a game, buying a birthday gift …

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Tell Patch: What Should Move into the Vacant Hightstown Storefront?

Think outside of the box - What would be the perfect retail establishment for this location?

Molto Bene relocated to Cranbury after five to six feet of water poured into the downtown Hightstown shop during Hurricane Irene last August. Owners didn’t have flood insurance and decided it was the best option for them to make the move to neighboring Cranbury after the Small Business Administration gave them a loan to help them get back on their feet.  Since the storm, a new coffee shop has opened in the shop adjacent to the old Molto Bene location, and Patch wants to know what you would like to see in the vacant shop.  If you could put anything in the downtown location, what would you like to see? A restaurant? A pottery shop? The new location for Borough Hall? Or maybe a dentist or a dance studio? Tell Patch in the comments below what …

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Calling All Local Businesses: Claim Your Listing, Make Patch Work for You

Expand your presence online and find new ways to reach new customers.

Do you want to enhance your presence online this year and reach new customers for your local business? Well, Patch is here to help — and we can offer you a few perks for taking the time to connect with your community online. Every local business has a space on Patch. We've already done the legwork to create it for you. If you haven't seen it, we'd be happy to show it to you. If you claim it, you have more control over how your business is presented online. Do you have a Facebook page, a Twitter account or a Foursquare mayorship? If you do, we can link to them through your business listing. Your listing gives your business a voice on Patch. And, if you're an active user, your friends, neighbors and potential new customers get a better sense…

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Local Musicians Raise Money for Molto Bene

The restaurant recently relocated to Cranbury after it was destroyed by Hurricane Irene.

Local musicians are hosting a fundraiser to help raise money for Molto Bene’s rebuilding efforts.  The fundraiser will feature live music from The Second Time Around (Caila and Natalie), Talinday, Connor and Miranda, Eitan and Jacqueline, 100% Cotton and Antwan.  "There are no words to express how thankful we are to our community," said co-owner Val Adamo in an email. "The assistance we received from the different groups of people is what kept us going forward." Event organizer Debbie Cabrera said the owners of Molto Bene opened their doors to local musicians. “They were really good to the community and allowed non-professional musicians to get their feet wet by employing them to play in front of an audience of friends and locals,” Cabrera…

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