Post-Hurricane Need-to-Knows

Never, never, never again will I say, “Oh, I don’t think Hillsborough will get hit that badly by <insert disaster here>.”

I said that for this storm, and boy, did karma bite back.

Like many in town, I’m typing this using laptop battery, a flashlight, and an air card for the Internet. That’s because I have no power and thus no lights or cable modem. I haven’t quite figured out what will happen once the laptop battery or phone battery quits. At this point, I’m wondering how exactly I’ll make coffee tomorrow morning (Camping coffee pot. Yes! Wait, no milk. Noooooo!)

Of course, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, there’s a plethora of information you need to know around town.

Here’s What You Need to Know Today:

1. You Need to Know: The municipal building is closed today, due to power outages and weather-related issues.
2. You Need to Know: Some traffic lights are out around town, most notably at Route 206 and Amwell Road. That intersection has stop signs on Amwell Road East and West, so you’ll need to be aware of it regardless direction. UPDATE: The police say theere is now power to this light, so it's back on!
3. You Need to Know: To call your utility company if your power’s out. Don’t call the police. Their lines need to remain free for emergencies.
4. You Need to Know: To conserve water. New Jersey American Water is running on its backup generator. Use water sparingly if you can, so it doesn’t overtax the generator. Your neighbors (who are likely on the same water company) will thank you.
5. You Need to Know: If you need coffee, Wawa and the 24-hour Dunkin Donuts both had power as of 1:00 a.m.—which is when Eileen was typing this.