We had seepage in our basement after the power cut off at 8 AM and spent the day wringing out towels and taking them to the Sonic Suds laundromat in Emerson to dry. (Major kudos to Sonic Suds for not giving local residents a hard time about doing this and for having free wifi so we could stay in touch with family elsewhere via Skype). By last night the seepage had slowed down and by this morning the towels were just damp.

The power situation is disheartening, because of the complete lack of communication as to the cause. If it is flooded substations, one would think that substations could be built in places that aren't flood plains. There don't seem to be that many downed trees, so I have to guess that the issue is water.

What I have noticed, however, is an attitude of "I got mine and the heck with you" associated with this storm. Whether it was buying more bottled water than you need and not letting others get any, or helping neighbors bail water, or people with generators offering fridge space to those without, I didn't see any of that. Everyone seemed to hunker down with their own. With so many elderly in our area, it would have been nice to see more of a community spirit.

When Pascack Valley voters, especially those in flooded areas, go to the polls next year, I hope they remember how their Congressman, Scott Garrett, held the poor and the elderly hostage to any kind of Federal help.

Herb Jackson, today's Record:
"House Republicans demanded earlier this year that new disaster relief be funded by cuts elsewhere, and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s office said Thursday the Virginia Republican continues to believe that."

Rep. Scott Garrett agreed. Garrett, R-N.J., said through a spokesman it was the "responsible thing to do."

Link: http://news.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/20110828aid_for_irene_recovery_might_require_cuts_elsewhere/srvc=home&position=recent

9/12/11 How about the people in the condos that still cannot occupy their homes