[digg-reddit-me]Usually this blog focuses on larger national or international issues, but over the weekend, Long Island in general, and specifically Wantagh where I live, was in the news for two reasons. First, an evangelical leader in Wantagh took on Glenn Beck who was going after any religion that preached “social justice” with a sign. Frustratingly, though I pass the sign walking back home a few times a week, CNN got the story before I did.
Then, a massive storm hit Long Island. Driving home on Saturday night was a matter of literally dodging fallen trees and power lines hanging down across the road. The National Guard was apparently out setting flares and doing emergency work as cop cars blocked off especially dangerous roads and set up flares and emergency tape. Of course, I decided to go out and take a few pictures, mainly of the massive tree downed in front of Wantagh Elementary School before the rain and wind drove me back indoors:
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(Click on any picture for a bigger version.)
Sunday morning, I woke up to a tree in my backyard crashing onto the house and snapping:
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By Sunday, almost every road was blocked by a fallen tree, including this one just around the block from me on Island Road near Wantagh Avenue:
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Walking to work this morning, the tree down in front of Wantagh Elementary was being taken care of, with Channel 12 with a live correspondent there. (Notice the camera to the right of the picture on a tripod.) I saw Erin Colton of Channel 12 in her car watching it next to the news van.
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Personally, I thought these leaning trees at the train station were a bit more dramatic:
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Chris Corradino took some more dramatic photos in the immediate aftermath of properties destroyed (when I was further east instead of in Wantagh.)
News reports indicate several fatalities around Long Island, but none in Wantagh. Property damage though is another story. It always seems like it happens to be those storms you don’t hear about that actually do the damage – while the ones hyped by the weather stations and local news end up fizzling.