Community Corner

Top Stories of November on Marlboro-Colts Neck Patch

The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, a nor'easter, an election. November was a busy month for Marlboro and Colts Neck.

It was a big month in Marlboro and Colts Neck. Frankly, it was a big month in all of New Jersey.

Here were the top 10 stories on Marlboro-Colts Neck Patch in November:

10. . Patch compiled photos of Bayshore businesses and homes swept away by Hurricane Sandy. 

Find out what's happening in Marlboro-Coltsneckwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

9. About 65 Percent Of Monmouth County Still In The Dark. On Nov. 4, days after Hurricane Sandy made landfall, 65 percent of Monmouth County was still without power. At that point, 80 percent of Marlboro with still without power and 76 percent of Colts Neck.

8. Marlboro and Colts Neck Polling Locations Changed. The 2012 general election was severely interrupted in Hurricane Sandy, and bookmarked by a nor'easter the next day. But county clerks and officials worked day and night to count absentee ballots and rearrange polling locations, giving some semblance of normal to an important day.

Find out what's happening in Marlboro-Coltsneckwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

7. UPDATE: Car Towed From Route 18 Reignites in Auto Wrecker Yard. Folks traveling on Route 18 between Marlboro and Colts Neck found themself in quite a traffic mess on Nov. 27. After police cleared the scene from a car fire, B&B Auto Wreckers and Towing towed the remains to their yard in Marlboro, only to have the car reignite. Good thing the yard is just across the street from the Robertsville Fire Department.

6. Hornik: There Needs to be Major Changes Within JCP&L. Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik was vocal about JCP&L's performance after Hurricane Irene in 2011. After Sandy hit in October, Hornik said he and many other local officials realized the company's infrastructure and practices are still antequated.

5. . The Marlboro and Colts Neck Post Offices are no longer homes to mail carriers, as distribution efforts are now merged with the United States Postal Service Freehold location. Standard customer services, such as stamps, drop-off and pick-up, remain the same in both Marlboro and Colts Neck but mail carriers now begin and end their days in Freehold.

4. . There are around 500 homes in the Greenbriar senior development in Marlboro Township. Many residents have little means of getting information from the township, after Hurricane Sandy knocked out their power and most importantly, heat.

JCP&L told Mayor Jon Hornik that Greenbriar would be restored on Saturday, but Hornik said he didn't see it happen. The township attempted to secure a generator for the community clubhouse, with no such luck.

3. Live Wire Claims Life of German Shepherd Puppy in Colts Neck. The life of an 8-month-old German Shepherd ended when the dog found itself in the wrong place at the wrong time in a Colts Neck neighborhood.

Rosie got loose when she ran across the street and broke free from her owner, Lisa Loew Mason. In an attempt to catch up, Loew Mason hopped in her car. Not a block away, she found Rosie lying in the street next to a utility pole.

2. Mayor Engel Not Satisfied with JCP&L Communication. Mayor Jarrett Engel said he is certainly not satisfied with communication from JCP&L. Engel said he is seeing many streets in bordering towns get power up, while much of Colts Neck remains in the dark.

"Unfortunately, we have found that communication with JCP&L regarding timing and location has been unreliable and inaccurate; with no information beyond today, other than that most of our town should have power by Wednesday," Engel said.

1. Snowstorm Brings Major Outages Back to Marlboro and Colts Neck. Eight days after Hurricane Sandy left Marlboro and Colts Neck without power, mother nature proved she wasn't done with New Jersey just yet. For more than one week before the new storm, line crews had been in both townships working to restore power to cold residents. But Athena, our first winter storm, went and ruined all that with a cold fist of fury and several inches of snow.


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