Schools

Unlucky 7: Twp. Schools Closed Again Tuesday

Outages, impassable roads still to blame for closed schools.

By Jason Koestenblatt
Email the author
November 5, 2012

29 Comments

‹ Back to Article

new

Embed | Share

Photos (1)

Photos

Credit Jason Koestenblatt

Upload Photos and Videos

For the seventh straight day, there will be no school for students in Washington Township, as the K-8 and high school districts have announced closures for Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Roads continue to be impassable and power is still out for more than 5,000 residences in Washington Township as of 1 p.m. Monday.

"We hope that all of our families are coping the best they can with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy," Washington Township Schools Superintendent Jeff Mohre said. "We will continue our ongoing assessment of the situation, in collaboration with the Washington Township Police."

For the regional high school district, which is used by students in Washington Township, the Chesters and Mendhams, nearly 10,000 residences are still in the dark Monday afternoon, forcing those two schools to remain shut.

Even if power is restored and roads are clear come Monday, meteorologists are warning of a potential nor'easter coming to the area. Go here to learn more.

Related Topics: Hurricane Sandy, Sandy, Washington Township Schools, and West Morris Central

Thanks. We'll email you the next time we update this story.

GHickler

1:59 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

Can't imagine that there will be any school at all this week.

Jason Koestenblatt

2:02 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

Hey GHickler - Thanks for the comment. While I'm holding out hope that's not the case, I fear you may be right. Between the remaining damage and potential Nor'easter on Wednesday, you have to wonder when will school be in session again??? Just my thoughts, and thanks again for the comment.

Dennis

2:16 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

Has anyone seen a JCP&L truck, any truck, just one in Long Valley?

Jon

3:08 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

I just met a guy at the general store who says he knows a guy who overheard somebody say that a friend of his talked to someone who claimed to have seen a JCP&L truck in Long Valley this morning. But he wasn't able to describe the truck in any sort of detail, so I'm still skeptical.

Paul Gallagher

3:20 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

I haven't seen any. I spoke with a LV police officer who said that all JCP&L crews left and were sent to Warren County!!! I haven't posted any complaints to date but this absence of any presence one week in is really staggering.

I also agree that at this point, the Mayor has to accept some responsibility.

Ljm09

2:29 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

Where is the mayor? Why are 5000 people still out? Roads impassable and power to only one elementary school. I am beginning to feel like an injustice is being done here in the wake of the storm, I hope I am wrong but something is not right.

Ron181

3:02 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

JCP&L seems to be keeping 2 sets of books. They're reporting higher numbers of restored power to the state than what they're reporting on their own website,which is allegedly updated every 15 minutes. Nice.

Bill C

3:27 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

Where is the mayor. Go to the town website and you will see information that is old and says ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about what the town is doing to get power restored. I guess you can't be held accountable if you don't say anything.

Jack

3:33 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

Just spoke to JCP&L and they said that 75% of Washington Township should be back on by Wednesday and the remainder by Saturday. Also, the best part of the conversation is that the numbers he gave me were just to appease me and don't mean anything at all. All I asked for was some transparency and got nothing. I look forward to when JCP&L asks the state for money to pay for all the added restoration costs.

Noelle

3:48 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

Does anyone know if Pleasent Grove Road is passable because my daughter and her family have been with me and tried to get to there house from Rt 22 and could not get very far.They have no idea what the house looks like. Thank you

Jon

4:51 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

Should be passable. Which house # is it on Pleasant Grove Rd? I drive it every day. I can take a peek and give you a report and save them a trip.

DV2009

7:29 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

LOL Jon! Your comment above made me laugh through my extreme frustration with this situation! So muc h for dozens of crews. And the mayor is running uncontested and about to be re-elected. Awesome

GHickler

9:04 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

C'mon . . . what do you expect from a small town Mayor? The guy is just playing politics - he has no idea what he is doing. I'd be surprised if he actually graduated from high school.

Ljm09

9:06 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

Yeah but he has power and most of us don't

LVMom

10:49 pm on Monday, November 5, 2012

Anyone know of someone who does house calls for tired generators?

MTSO

12:24 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012

The mayor was on WRNJ giving an update and he said he saw 3 crews working in Washington Township. When Russ Long pressed him for where they were from he seemed to fumble and not remember the plates. He also didn't mention the locations.

Kevin Nedd

12:47 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Having served with Mayor Short on the Township Committee, I can say without hesitation he is in way over his head.

Kevin Nedd

4:00 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Jon,

1. I could care less about what you or the Mayor thinks about what I said, so I won't be removing it.

2. When you run for and serve on the Township Committee, then perhaps you will have the advantage of the perspective I have in judging the true effectiveness of our elected leaders. Until such time, you don't have my perspective and therefore are simply talking out of your behind.

3. Mayor Short was incompetent before I served on the committee (11% tax increases, a depletion of the township surplus account all while sucking down free health care at taxpayer expense); he was incompetent while I served on the committee having voted for the largest municipal spending increase in recent memory: and he has demonstrated incompetence since i left office by constantly confusing tax levy caps and spending caps in public pronouncements.

I rest my case.

Kevin Nedd

9:46 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Jon,

1. I could not care less. Thank you for pointing out my error. I would not want anyone to assume as much as you have.

2. You won't be serving on the Township Committee. Accept your shortcomings.

3. Do the research. Perhaps you won't seem so clueless afterwards.

duh

7:26 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Long Valley is just crazy. Our elected officials dont do anything. they let the electrical walk all over them, and as residents we get screwed again. There has not been a singe truck on naughright and mission since last monday!!

Domino

7:36 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012

I'm sure the mayor would be happy to give any resident an update as to the power situation. You just need to know which gentleman's club he is in at the time.

LVMom

7:39 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012

I LOVE that while we have no power and Internet the town is NOT moving the due date for the taxes! Really? And just how do we access our accounts? Public wifi at panerra?

Every other institution is moving dates but NO the town with no power just keeps asking for money.

As for the mayor- I don'tsee anyone else running to fill his shoes!
This town needs Someone who is willing to get our schools ramped up, fix our problems with the power company so we get power after storm (or get the governor to fund some serious tree cutting -and not this BS where just the branches are cut and a YIs left)

We need to start having some town pride and figure out how to make it a town no one wants to move to.

cv

7:47 am on Tuesday, November 6, 2012

I am thankful I still have a home unlike the residents of south jersey and Staten Island. This is taking a very serious financial and emotional toll on local residents .
I have like so many others spent large amounts of money on gas for a generator that dodent have enough power to turn my heat on. I have a child who will miss 2 weeks of school and I can't leave because I have dogs that no one wants at their house.