Ridgewood 'Ready' for Nor'easter Named Athena

We're not out of the woods yet, not by any stretch. As the village and borough start the long process of rebuilding in the wake of Sandy, another menacing lady has come to town – Athena.

Winds gusts could reach 50 mph and an ugly, wintry mix could bring a combination of rain, sleet and snow, potentially dropping between 2-5" inches in the early morning hours of Thursday. Snow had already begun sticking to the ground by late Wednesday afternoon.

It will likely dip below freezing as well, which could freeze pipes (call a plumber if that happens).

The village says it's prepared for Athena.

"The Village is ready with both salt trucks and plows as the need arises," Ridgewood said in an alert to residents Wednesday night. "Please be careful driving if you must go out. Residents should expect the possibility of additional power outages, downed trees and power lines, and delays in ongoing power restoration efforts. Make plans now, and stay informed."

The 24-hour shelter at Mt. Carmel remains open and will continue to through the duration of the storm. Hot meals and a warm place to sleep are among the amenities. 

"We have particular concern about the trees that were made vulnerable by Sandy," Ridgewood OEM Coordinator Jeremy Kleiman told Patch. "Residents should prepare for the possibility of additional outages and a delay in further restoration."

Crews were working in the village on Wednesday. Many neighborhoods saw power restored – it had been estimated 80 percent was up by Wednesday morning with more to receive lights – but some were adversely affected by the utility's presence.

PSE&G told schools they'd be shutting off the power for up to an hour at B.F. and Travell to make circuit repairs.  

Residents are urged to contact PSE&G directly at 1-800-436-7734 to report individual problems, calling repeatedly as needed.

Anyone needing showering/warming/coffee/WiFi can head to the Ridgewood YMCA at 112 Oak Street. They're opening the gym and pools for free to the public.

Other day-time warming facilities include: St. Elizabeth's on Fairmount between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., Emmanuel Baptist from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Temple Israel from 9 a.m. to early evening; the Community Church from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Ridgewood Library is also open for people looking to stay warm, use computers, check out books. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 9 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The Recycling Center will be open Saturday-Monday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Household garbage and branches will also be accepted. Tree branches cannot be placed in the street.