Long Island snowstorm updates
Jessica Skidmore, 8, of #Manorville, catches some air sledding on a hill at #Brookhaven Town Hall in #Farmingville #lisnow Credit: Brittany Wait
Be careful out there if you're driving around Long Island today. Although plows have been working throughout the night to clear roads, blowing snow and frigid temperatures are making for tough, icy driving conditions. Give yourself extra time to travel.
That also applies if you're taking the train. The LIRR, which is operating on a weekend schedule, is experiencing some weather-related delays.
We'll keep you updated on the latest information about this storm. Check this live post for updates. (Mobile users can access social media updates via the link below.)
DEVELOPING
TRAFFIC AND TRANSIT
LIRR. The LIRR is following a weekend schedule today with off-peak fares. It will provide bus service for customers on its West Hempstead line and stations east of Ronkonkoma. All station waiting rooms are open and there are no issues with parking lots, according to LIRR spokeswoman Meredith Daniels.
Check out the latest Newsday update on the LIRR situation: http://bit.ly/1eeOEwa
WEATHER
WIth temperatures in the teens and a wind chill of six degrees below zero, it's bitter cold on Long Island this afternoon.
The storm that paralyzed both Suffolk and Nassau counties from about noon Tuesday into the late morning Wednesday has passed, but it has left behind more than a foot of snow in parts of Long Island. North Babylon and Selden tied for most accumulations with 14.5 inches. (Scroll down for a list of snowfall totals from around Nassau and Suffolk.)
And more snow is not out of the question: There is a 20 percent chance of snow Thursday, a 50 percent chance Saturday night, and a 40 percent chance Sunday night, the National Weather Service said.
And until early next week, daily highs are likely to be in the teens and low 20s, with nighttime lows in the single digits.
AIRPORTS.
With hundreds of flights cancelled at three New York metropolitan area airports Wednesday, air travelers faced another rough day ahead.
At Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, however, operations returned to normal Wednesday with only one cancelled flight, a shuttle to Boston, said Inez Birbiglia, a spokeswoman for the airport. She said Pen Airlines preemptively cancelled the flight Tuesday evening.
The coastal storm that snarled traffic and wreak havoc for air travelers dropped a total of 11.2 inches of snow at MacArthur, shutting down the airport’s two runways for about 10 hours, from about 7 p.m. Tuesday to 5: 30 a.m. Wednesday. Employees worked all night to clear the snow off runways, taxiways and ramps throughout Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
“There was so much snow on runways and there was so much accumulation,” she said. “They plowed all night. It was non-stop all evening.”
The first scheduled flight out of MacArthur Wednesday, an 11:35 a.m. Southwest flight to sunny Orlando, Fla., took off on time, Birbiglia said. - CHAU LAM
The Port Authority was reporting 166 flight cancellations at JFK, 366 at LaGuardia and 284 at Newark, late Wednesday morning and said airlines are working to begin to get back to normal operations this afternoon.
For inclement weather information at LaGuardia, JFK and Newark, visit bit.ly/1mqzFDG.
For Islip MacArthur flights, contact the individual airlines.
Allegiant Air: 702-505-8888
Pen Air: 800-448-4226
Southwest: 800-435-9792
US Airways: 800-428-4322
LIBRARY BUSINESS AS BRISK AS WEATHER
Robert Lusak, library director for the Smithtown Special Library District, said the snow did not keep a steady flow of people away from the district's four libraries in Nesconset, Commack, Smithtown and Kings Park.
"We were definitely getting used on a day like this. It wasn't dead in any of our buildings," said Lusak.
"The town and county trucks that were out on the main roads did a great job at clearing the snow, so library patrons who wanted to could access any one of our buildings," he said, adding that attendance was also bolstered by the fact that area school districts were closed.
All district libraries that typically open at 10 a.m. had a delayed opening at noon on Wednesday due to inclement weather, said Lusak.
Those libraries also closed early at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, as the storm began pummeling what turned into about a foot of snow across town.
A contractor plowed library parking lots Tuesday afternoon and early Wednesday morning, but library custodians cleared sidewalks and walkways with snow blowers and rock salt, said Lusak, adding, "We were ready."
Still, Lusak said the greatest challenge posed by the storm was clearing the parking lots.
"When the plows remove the snow, they aren't dry as a bone," he said. "The temperatures were freezing all day and you don't want the surfaces to freeze because that's bad for everyone. The library is concerned for the well-being of our library users and our staff as well. We don't want to put anybody in a dangerous situation where they could get hurt." -- LAUREN R. HARRISON
SNOWSTORM DOESN'T HALT TRIBUTE
The day of the storm, residents--including Jenna Martuscello, 22, of Westhampton Beach-- came out in droves to mourn the death of Cory Hubbard, 22, a Westhampton native killed last Friday in a hit-and-run accident near the University of Maryland in College Park, Md.
Hubbard was a senior at the university studying kinesiology. His viewing was Tuesday. The tribute included a salute to Hubbard on the football field of Westhampton Beach High School.
Martuscello, who was a year behind Hubbard's brother, Kyle,24, at Westhampton Beach High and a year ahead of Cory said, "It was really an outpouring of support."
Cory Hubbard's father, Ralph, a retired science teacher from Hampton Bays High, was Martuscello's swim coach in a recreational youth program. Also, Hubbard's mother, Holly, was her health and gym teacher at Westampton Beach Middle School.
"People really care about each other in this town, even though you don't talk to each other every day," Martuscello said. "It's a support system you don't find anymore."
TOUGH SLEDDING FOR LOCAL DINER
Wednesday afternoon was devoid of the usual buzz at the Sweet Hollow Diner.
The Melville spot, bordering a corporate hub, is usually ripe for networking. But after a snowstorm, the lunch crowd was thin, a manager said.
"Breakfast was completely non-existent. It's been kind of quiet," said Chris Arvans, 47, whose father started the diner in 1977. "I don't think a lot of people went to work."
The post-snowstorm lull is a departure from previous years, he said. "People were stopping to have something to eat," Arvans recalled. With alerts advising commuters to avoid travel, Arvans said, "people are just trying to get from Point A to Point B."
Arvans said he worries a harsh winter is in store. For business, he said, "it could be tough." -- SCOTT EIDLER
**************
FUN TIMES IN FARMINGVILLE
Bundled-up, 8-year-old Jessica Skidmore sleds down a steep hill and catches some air after hitting a snow-packed jump half way down.
Skidmore was among the dozens of children who spent their snow day sledding or snowboarding at Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville Wednesday.
Her father, Jim Skidmore, gave her a push down the hill to help her pick up enough speed to land the jump.
"The kids are having a good day," said Skidmore, 45, of Manorville. "There's nothing like sledding and being a kid on their day off of school."
Maria Lopez, 43, flew down the hill on a bright-colored sled holding her 10-year-old daughter, Austin.
"I like the feeling of wind in my face, but I don't like getting the snow on me because it's so cold," Austin said. "I'm having so much fun. But it's so cold. Burr."
Sledders brace a frigid temperature of 12 degrees.
Ali Zafar brought his 5-year-old daughter Zainab to use her no-motor snowmobile sled for the first time since the major blizzard a year ago.
"As soon as it started snowing, she screamed. She can't get enough of snow," said Zafar, 31, of Port Jefferson Station. "She wanted to go sledding so badly yesterday, but the roads were too bad, so we made sure to dig ourselves out of the house today so we could make it to this hill." -- BRITTANY WAIT
LIERS DIG OUT IN BITTER COLD
Kieran Sheehan, a 17-year-old high school student, carried out a shovel to dig out his girlfriend's car on a snow packed street in Bethpage at midday. He said the snow was harder to shovel than the last storm.
"I figured Hercules would be stronger than Janus, but I was wrong," Sheehan said. "It's just heavier."
Around the corner, Carl Jee, 62, an accountant was taking a break from work--his company allowed him to telecommute Wednesday--to clear off his driveway with a snowblower. He was finishing the job his son started with the sidewalk.
"My son had to go to work, he did what he could earlier," said Jee from behind a mask that covered his face from the nose down. He said the snow was a little easier to remove than the last time, "But it is colder." -- TED PHILLIPS
************
The streets were largely clear and quiet in North Hempstead Wednesday afternoon, with houses draped in postcard-perfect snow.
In Port Washington, Nathan Garcia, 37, of Elmont, watched as his children snowboarded, tubed and sledded down the hill behind the Port Washington post office, catching them before they made it too far into the parking lot.
"I don't mind the snow too much," said Garcia, who had the day off. "It's been fun." -- SCOTT EIDLER
**************
Mohammad Khan, 45, said his family canceled plans to redecorate their home and a doctor's appointment, given cold weather.
Khan, a businessman from Hicksville, said outside of a Home Depot in Syosset his two children were home with his wife and were not planning to head outside.
"We're just trying to make warm soup," he said. "We're trying to stay inside as much as possible."
Anticipating colder and windier weather, Khan said he is securing loose property at his home, such as chairs and garbage bins. "So everything is clear," he said. -- SCOTT EIDLER
**************
Shovel in hand, Rose Behar, 70, a retired teacher at East Islip Middle School, was scraping off the last of the snow from her driveway on Hollister Lane in Islip Wednesday afternoon.
"A group of five young men came knocking at my door about 7 this morning and offered to shovel the driveway," Behar said. "We said, 'Oh yeah!' It was great, they got it all cleared."
Behar, who has lived in the home with her husband Stephen, 69, for the past 40 years, said they were "lucky" to be away in Florida on vacation during this year's first storm. But this one didn't faze her much, either.
"I have the luxury of being retired and if I can't get out, then I don't go out," Behar said with a laugh. "It's not a problem anymore like it used to be."
Bundled up in a winter coat, gloves and fleece-lined boots, Behar shrugged off the single-digit temperatures.
"I'm just waiting for the cold to pass," Behar said. "I'll finish up here and go back inside and let the sun take care of the rest." -- SARAH ARMAGHAN
**************
Shoveling the driveway of his parents' home in Selden, which recorded one of the highest snowfalls -- 14 inches -- Wednesday morning, Terry Collen said he had tried to shovel throughout the storm Tuesday, but gave up around 1 a.m. this morning. He couldn't keep up.
He was back at it around 11 a.m. after the final flurries fell, but had to contend with frigid conditions.
"The cold doesn't bother me much. I just bundle up," said Collen, 31, who has lived in Selden all his life. He said years of working for Fed Ex conditioned him for extreme weather. "But I wish it would only snow this much on Christmas or close to the holidays."
In nearby Centereach, which got 14 inches, residents -- including 47-year-old Abe Yanarkya -- were also starting to dig out.
"We've had more snow, so this is nothing," said Yanarkaya, while taking a break from clearing his driveways with a snow blower. "But I still made sure I was prepared."
He said what he wasn't expecting was the excruciatingly-long commute home Tuesday night, the result of heavy snow and multiple accidents on major highways.
"I left Brooklyn at 12:30 p.m. and didn't get home until 8:30 at night. The roads were awful. It was all a mess."
Local businesses were also trying to get up and running Wednesday despite the snow.
Peter Rosloniec, owner of Centereach Deli on Middle Country Road, said he opened up three hours.
"When you have weather like this, the roads are unsafe and people are still digging themselves out, so we didn't open too early," said Rosloniec, 46, of Huntington.
Even though the parking lot of his deli was plowed, though, not many customers were stopping by for breakfast or lunch, he said.
"With storms like this, it throws off everyone's schedules," he said. "Breakfast and lunch is probably last on their minds. Business will be tough today, but we'll make up for it."--BRITTANY WAIT
*******************
A snow day for Wyandanch schools yesterday meant shoveling duty for Francisco Mederos, 32, a seventh grade social studies teacher.
“I’m too young to pay somebody to do it,” he said, from underneath two layers of sweatsuits, a scarf, winter coat and hood.
Forty-five minutes’ work in the morning cleared the front walk and most of the driveway of his Baylawn Avenue home in Copiague.
The snow was so light, he said, “you can almost just push it aside.” He’d be finished in time to work on lesson plans in the afternoon.
For others the snow day was a chance to play. At Bergen Point Golf Course Nadja Ashley, 13, and Jake Schindler, 13, seventh graders at West Babylon Junior High School, found a short but steep hill and built a snowboard ramp.
“The trick is to figure out how to do it without dying,” said Jake, who survived and even caught a bit of air on an early afternoon run.
Meanwhile, their mothers, Jan Schindler and Debra Rust hiked around the course. It was too cold to stand and watch, they said; to bear the cold, they had to keep moving.-- NICHOLAS SPANGLER
LONG BEACH OFFICIALS DISCOURAGE DRIVING. Long Beach officials released a statement describing roads as "passable," but encouraged residents to avoid driving if possible.
Snow drifts and icy roads remains a problem in the city due to heavy snowfall and frigid temperatures, the statement said.
Public works crews were out all night plowing, but snow remains a hazard, officials said in the statement, which city spokesman Gordon Tepper released at 9:30 am.
"Please beware of slippery conditions as the cold temperatures will not allow the snow and ice to melt," Tepper's statement said.
Long Beach officials asked residents to avoid plowing in their neighbors when shoveling snow, and to check on their neighbors, especially seniors.
The city suspended recycling to allow vehicles to sand and plow streets. Every city road - 52 miles total - has been plowed at least twice, officials said. -PATRICK WHITTLE
SNOW CLEARED IN OYSTER BAY. According to Town of Oyster Bay spokesperson Marta Kane, town roads was of this morning. At 5 p.m. Wednesday, sanding trucks will go out again looking for any icy spots and treat accordingly. Also tonight, the town will be hauling away the snow which was stockpiled in commuter lots Tuesday night. As of Wednesday afternoon the town has no reports of outages, water main breaks or road closures.
HEMPSTEAD BRINGING IN PAYLOADERS. Hempstead Town spokesman Michael Deery said salt spreaders and snow plows have been on the streets since early Tuesday morning and working around the clock to clear about 1,200 miles of town roadways.
"By the time the snow started falling, all of our roads were treated," Deery said. "That was a key factor."
The storm ending early this morning allowed crews to work through the night to clear roads and get ready for the morning rush, Deery said.
"The roads are very passable," Deery said. "We are tending to manicuring the roads with second and third passes. Also attending to dead ends and cul-de-sacs that take more work. We have to send in payloaders."-AISHA AL-MUSLIM
FREEZING SLUSH CONCERN FOR N.HEMPSTEAD CREWS . North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said she spent Wednesday morning meeting with operators of the town's 311 call center and surveying the roads in the town.
Most of the calls to the town's call center overnight were calls diverted from New York City, Bosworth said.
She said town plows have been on the roads all night, trying to scrape enough snow off the roads to get to the blacktop.
"It's hard to get down to the asphalt just because of the frigid temperatures," Bosworth said.
Town crews are now looking ahead to Wednesday evening's commute, trying to get any slush on the roads pushed to the side, "so when the sun goes down and there are people traveling, we're not left with a layer of ice," she said. - JENNIFER BARRIOS
ISLIP ADDRESSING ICING. Clean-up crews in the Town of Islip worked overnight to make one full pass by midnight with plows on all streets in an attempt to clean up the roads for the morning commute.
Now, with temperatures dropping into the single digits -- along with up to 30 mph winds that make the outside air feel like -14 degrees -- the town is focused on salting and sanding the roadways to prevent dangerous icing.
"Since we're not having any more additional accumulation, we're putting down a mixture of salt and sand on the roads," Town Councilman Anthony Senft said. "We're now out doing our second pass that will actually clean things up more. We actually go curb to curb to widen the street as much as possible."
There have been no power outages, motor vehicle accidents, or downed trees reported to the town, according to Senft.
"We've been very fortunate," Senft said. "The most difficult thing we have to deal with now is the extreme cold."
Parking restrictions are still in effect in Islip throughout Wednesday as crews continue to clean the street. Residents are urged to keep their cars off the streets on emergency routes and to "adopt a hydrant" and clear snow away from fire hydrants near their homes in case of emergency. -SARAH ARMAGHAN
GLEN COVE 100 PERCENT PLOWED. Glen Cove Mayor Reginald Spinello said the city's snow removal efforts consisted of 42 men, who were out working all night with 21 pieces of equipment and 600 tons of salt and sand.
"The city is 100 percent plowed, curb to curb," he said. "We cleaned up the municipal parking lots, and the three LIRR parking lots the city is responsible to plow.”
MAIN ROADS IN BABLYON CLEAR. Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer said crews worked through the night to clear roads, but had to overcome two obstacles.
"They have been dealing with the wind, which is blowing snow back on roads, and ineffectiveness of salt in this weather--it doesn't really work when temperatures are this low," Schaffer said.
The main roads are clear and secondary roads have been passed through at least once with some roads more than once, depending on location, he said. Crews are now working on dead ends and cul de sacs, plus pushing back snow that people throw in the street as they start to dig out.
According to Schaffer, the town did not receive any reports of flooding. -DENISE BONILLA
SMITHTOWN ROADS CLEARED. Smithtown Supervisor Patrick Vecchio said all residential and side streets in the town have been plowed and are clear this morning.
Vecchio said Smithtown Highway Superintendent Glenn Jorgensen "did an excellent job" and "there's not a call here of complaints."
Jorgensen said a fleet of roughly 100 town vehicles and 60 private trucks cleared the 12 inches of snow from all of Smithtown's 480 miles of road, often re-plowing roads multiple times because of blowing snow.
"One of my guys plowed 200 miles of road last night and today," he said.
Smithtown public safety director John Valentine said, "The Town of Smithtown and its villages weathered it [the storm] well. My hats off to all of the men ad women behind the plows."
He said one asset to the town was "our residents headed the advisory to stay at home and as a result of that allowing the town...to push back the snow and the drifts."
Jorgensen also said the focus today is going to be widening roadways and pushing back snow where cars were parked. "It's going to be frigid" for the rest of the week, he said, adding that the snow is "not going anywhere." -- LAUREN R. HARRISON
BUSES. Service on some Suffolk County Transit bus routes that was suspended was to resume at 8 a.m. Wednesday. Nassau bus riders should visit nicebus.com or follow NICE on social media for updates. Suffolk County Transit bus customers are advised to visit sct-bus.org or call 631-852-5200 for service updates.
POWER OUTAGES. The storm has had a minimal effect on Long Islanders' power. PSEG Long Island is currently reporting 10 power outages in Lawrence, Long Beach, Copiague, Babylon, Bay Shore, Mastic Beach, Sound Beach, South Setauket, Speonk and Wheatley Heights that impact 18 customers. View a map of reported power outages at newsday.com/outages.
TOP SNOW TOTALS
North Babylon: 14.5
Selden: 14.5
Blue Point: 14
Centereach: 14
West Babylon: 13.5
Lindenhurst: 13.3
Oceanside: 13
Jamesport: 13
Stony Brook: 12.7
Orient: 12.2
Massapequa: 12.1
Commack: 12
South Setauket: 12
Port Washington: 11.5
Merrick 11.1
Bay Shore: 11
Plainview: 10.7
Malverne 10.1
Upton: 10
Riverhead: 9.6
Jericho: 9.5
Eastport: 9.5
Smithtown: 8
SCHOOLS
While hundreds of Long Island students and teachers are enjoying a snow day today, that's not the case for their New York City counterparts. Yes, that's right NYC schools are open today.
Many Long Island colleges and universities also closed today including Hofstra University, Adelphi University, Suffolk Community College and Five Towns College. Stony Brook University only cancelled classes before 12:30 p.m. Nassau Community College will resume all classes and activities scheduled for 2 p.m. or later.
To see what else is open and closed today, search newsday.com/closings.
In your town
NASSAU OFFICES OPEN, COURTS ON DELAY. Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano announced this morning that all county offices are open to the public today. Activities and classes within the Nassau County Parks system, as well as the Nassau County Aquatic Center, will reopen today at noon. County courts will reopen at 11 a.m.
HEMPSTEAD CANCELS PROGRAMS. Hempstead Town has canceled all India Republic Day festivities originally scheduled for today at Town Hall and all Parks Department and Senior Enrichment programs. Today's Floral Park Taxpayer Forum has been rescheduled for Jan. 30 and all Car Seat Safety Inspections scheduled for today have been rescheduled to Thursday.
GARBAGE PICK-UP CANCELED. Glen Cove canceled pickups of trash and recycling on Tuesday and Wednesday. Regular trash pickup, but not recycling, will resume on Friday.
Riverhead town has cancelled its Wednesday recycling pick-up. The town will go back to its normal collection schedule for the rest of the week.
The Village of Mastic Beach notified residents Tuesday that garbage pick-up is suspended for today.
GLEN COVE PARKING ADVISORY. Glen Cove City Mayor Reginald Spinello's office also asked that residents refrain from parking on even numbered sides of their streets to allow first responders and public works crews to pass. Residents are advised to park on odd-numbered sides of the street or in municipal parking lots if they do not have a driveway to park their cars. -TED PHILLIPS
MEETINGS POSTPONED, CANCELED.
The City of Glen Cove canceled a planning board meeting scheduled for Tuesday and rescheduled a pre-council meeting that will now be held tonight.
The Village of Port Jefferson meeting scheduled for Tuesday evening has been rescheduled to Jan. 27 at 6 p.m.
Tuesday's Long Beach City Council meeting has been postponed to tonight at 7 p.m. at city hall.
HOTLINE ACTIVATED. Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano has activated the county's non-emergency hotline. Residents with non-life-threatening emergencies should dial 1-888-684-4274 for assistance during the storm.
WARMING CENTERS OPEN. The storm prompted Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano to open the following 19 warming centers.
Glen Cove Senior Center. 130 Glen St., Glen Cove. (Will open at 5 p.m. Transport available for city residents.) 516-759-9610
Long Beach Public Library. 111 W. Park Ave., Long Beach 516-431-7200
Temple Beth-El. 570 West Walnut St., Long Beach 516-432-5555
Village of Massapequa Park Court Room. 151 Front St., Massapequa Park 516-798-0244
Oyster Bay Town Skating Center at Bethpage. 1001 Stewart Ave., Bethpage 516-433-7465
Our Lady of Lourdes School. 379 Linden St., Massapequa Park 516-797-5357
Life Enrichment Center. 45 East Main St., Oyster Bay 516-922-1770
5 Towns Community Center. 270 Lawrence Ave., Lawrence 516-239-6244
Salvation Army. 66 Church St., Freeport 516-378-4557
Bethel A.M.E. Church. 20 N. Main St., Freeport 516-377-4469
Wesley United Methodist Church. 619 Fenword Blvd., Franklin Square 516-481-3322
United Methodist Church. 40 Washington Ave., Hempstead 516-565-1568
Hispanic Brotherhood Senior Program. 59 Clinton Ave., Rockville Centre 516-766-6610
Brookside School. 1260 Meadowbrook Rd., North Merrick
St. Anthony's Catholic School. 80 Anchor Ave., Oceanside 516-764-9792
Great Neck SCSC. 80 Grace Ave., Great Neck 516-487-0025
Herricks Community Center. Herricks Rd., New Hyde Park 516-248-3135
St. Stephen's Church. 9 Carlton Ave., Port Washington 516-944-9654
Westbury Senior Center. 360 Post Ave., Westbury 516-334-5886
The Town of Hempstead announced that the following warming centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Baldwin Senior Center, 1810 North Grand Avenue, Baldwin
Bellmore Senior Center, 2000 Bellmore Avenue, Bellmore
Cedarhurst Senior Center, Village Hall, 200 Cedarhurst Ave., Cedarhurst
East Meadow Senior Center, 1485 Front Street, East Meadow
Elmont Senior Center, 138 Elmont Road, Elmont
Franklin Square Senior Center, 1182 Martha Place, Franklin Square
Green Acres Senior Center, 400 Flower Road, Valley Stream
Levittown Senior Center, 555 Newbridge Road, Levittown
Merrick Senior Center, 2550 Clubhouse Road, Merrick
Oceanside Senior Center, 2900 Rockaway Avenue, Oceanside
Rosa Parks Senior Center, 2 Babylon Turnpike, Roosevelt
Salisbury Senior Center, 460 Salisbury Park Drive, Westbury
Uniondale/Hempstead Senior Center, 840 Uniondale Avenue, Uniondale
Uniondale/Merrick Senior Center, 750 Jerusalem Avenue, Uniondale
Wantagh Senior Center, 1150 Seamans Neck Road, Wantagh
The Town of Babylon also designated Town Hall Annex located at 281 Phelps Lane as a 24-hour warming center.
The Town of North Hempstead will only open warming centers if residents begin to lose power since during a similar storm earlier this month, none of the warming centers the town opened were used, according to town spokesman Ryan Mulholland. The town's 311 call center will be open for extended hours.
Islip Town will open one warming center at noon today at the Caesar Trunzo Senior Center, 16 2nd Ave., Brentwood.
Smithtown Supervisor Patrick Vecchio said he has not designated the Eugene A. Cannataro Senior Citizen Center as a warming center for this week's frigid temperatures, but said it is available.
"In previous climatic occurrences, we've offered the senior center as a warming center, but there's never been any call to use it." -- LAUREN HARRISON
WARMBED ACTIVATED. With snow and frigid temperature approaching, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano activated the county's Emergency Shelter Relief Program for homeless individuals and families, WARMBED. Those who are homeless and in need of shelter placement, should call 1-866-WARMBED (1-866-927-6233) between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
Updated now Newsday travel writer Scott Vogel took the ferry over to Block Island for a weekend of fun.
