Monmouth County officials have lifted the curfew for some municipalities, however the 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. ban is still in effect for coastal communities. “A countywide curfew has been in effect since Tuesday to ensure the safety of our residents,” Sheriff Shaun Golden said in a press release issued by the county. “We are now confident that the ban can be lifted for some of the county and appreciate the public’s compliance in this important order.” The Sheriff explains that the curfew is still in effect for the coastal municipalities of Aberdeen, Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Atlantic Highlands, Avon-…

Monmouth County has established a donation site for items to assist those affected by Hurricane Sandy. The site has been set up at Thompson Park, 805 Newman Springs Road (Route 520) in Lincroft, according to a press release issued by the county. The donation center is located at the service entrance of the park. It is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to receive donated items. Items needed include: Bottled Water Non perishable food Pet food New clothing Blankets Personal hygiene items including baby items Thompson Park is a donation site only - no distribution will be made there. Items will be …

Residents who evacuated the shore before the storm will have an added layer of police protection against looting. The New Jersey State Police will be deploying troopers to the Barrier Island towns that were hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy, Gov. Chris Christie's office announced in a press release Thursday. State troopers will work with local and county agencies to provide an enhanced law enforcement presence at the shore. State Police will be on hand to protect the property of residents and merchants against potential looting or other crimes, while also providing additional resources and …

With generators and cars getting low on gas, Monmouth County residents are lining up at area gas stations. However, those lines are stretching Middletown resident Mike Morris reported a three-hour wait at the Leonardo Wawa for use of the gas pumps on Wednesday. In Matawan on Thursday, cars were lined up onto Broad Street as they tried to tank up at the Hess gas station on Route 34. Have you ventured outside to refuel? Where did you go and how long did you wait? Tell us in the comments below and share photos using the "Upload photos & videos" button above.

UPDATE: Around 12:45 p.m., Mayor Jon Hornik authorized the Marlboro PD to bring a van to transport the Cano family out of town, to a relative's home.   A Marlboro family is in desperate need of a way to get out of town.  The Cano family has a disabled daughter, who recently got out of the hospital after a bout with pneumonia. The family had to abandon their wheelchair accessible van in Perth Amboy after a failed attempt to find gas to fill it up. Right now, the family has no power and an electric stove. Their generator is being used solely to power their daughter's nebulizer. "They just can't…

The federal government stands by New Jersey as it suffers in the wake of Tropical Storm Sandy, President Obama said Wednesday afternoon while visiting Brigantine alongside Governor Christie. Obama confirmed FEMA aid has already been approved for Atlantic County, and that restoration efforts will continue as long as needed. "We will not forget," Obama said. "We will follow up to make sure you get the help you need. There are 2,000 personnel from FEMA on the ground, Obama said. "They are talking to communities so people know how they can get the help they need," Obama said. "The important thing…

Getting New Jersey back to normal after Hurricane Sandy is Gov. Chris Christie’s top priority, he said Wednesday night. Restoring power to the 2 million households in the dark will be part of that effort in the days ahead. Christie said he has been in contact with other governors who will urge their utility companies to send crews to New Jersey to help restore the damaged electrical grid. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has pledged over 100 generators and diesel fuel to the state, which will be distributed to water treatment facilities, hospitals, and other sectors where they …

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) representatives met with officials from Monmouth County on Wednesday, Oct. 31 and have presented preliminary information to residents regarding emergency disaster claims, according to a release issued by the Monmouth County Department of Public Information. Monmouth County received a presidential declaration for individual or public assistance on Tuesday, Oct. 30 and the county has been approved for both by FEMA, the release stated. Residents of Monmouth County and small business are now allowed to apply for different kinds of federal assistance …

NJ TRANSIT has announced that the majority of its bus lines will begin running on Thursday, as well as limited Access Link service.  The bus lines are part of a slow but steady restart of NJ TRANSIT's service following Hurricane Sandy, announced the same day as the 3 p.m. restoration of service on the River Line light rail between the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden and Trenton Transit Center.  “This is tremendous progress,” said Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman James Simpson in a press release. “We are not out of the woods by any stretch, but we will …

A couple out walking on Applegate Street in the River Plaza section of Middletown confirmed their power was restored around 2 p.m., and Shadow Lake Village Drive also had power again. On Carpenter Street, one could see porch lights were on, TVs were buzzing, and the glow of torchiere lighting. A resident there said the lights came on around 3 p.m. Another Carpenter Street resident said a friend who lives behind St. Leo's in Lincroft reported her lights were restored around 4 p.m. JCP&L trucks were on Applegate and West Front Street, and small crowds of neighbors who were still awaiting power …

With power out, phone lines down, and cell service spotty, Middletown Patch is getting emails and calls from across the country asking about residents and areas in Middletown. If you need to contact someone or get a message to readers, post the info here. Conversely, if you are looking for someone or for information on a specific area, post that here as well. If anyone can answer, please do so in the comments. www.facebook.com/MiddletownNJPatch

Wednesday Afternoon Updates Volunteers, Businesses The township has received several inquiries regarding volunteers who want to help during this difficult time. We've also received calls from businesses that have heavy equipment, portable genenators, specialized services etc. We are collecting information at this time and will contact volunteers/businesses as needed. And thanks for offering! Volunteers - E-mail publicinfo@middletownnj.org with your name, phone number,and any expertise you may have and availability. You can also call 732-615-2000 and leave the information if you can't e-mail. …

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) is asking motorists to use extra caution as they travel on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway. Long lines for fuel are stretching from the service area lots onto the roadways. At Garden State Parkway milepost 98, for example, traffic for the gas station was backed up two miles Wednesday afternoon. Most of the 21 service areas owned by the NJTA are fully open for business today, but motorists should expect to wait on line as the demand for fuel and food is high, according to a press release issued by Gov. Chris Christie’s office. The only …

UPDATE, 3 p.m.: Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson has requested Governor Chris Christie lift travel restrictions on Brigantine, Margate and Longport after touring those areas on Wednesday, according to county officials. Christie, who was in Brigantine with President Barack Obama Wednesday afternoon, must approve the request before residents can return to those areas. UPDATE, 2:43 p.m.: President Barack Obama and Gov. Chris Christie returned to the airport just after 2:30. The two were picked up by a cavalcade to be driven to Brigantine, where they are expected to make a statement …

Effective immediately, Halloween is postponed in New Jersey. Gov. Chris Christie issued an executive order declaring that no New Jersey town can hold trick-or-treating today, Oct. 31. If towns had planned to do so, they must move trick-or-treating and any public celebrations to Monday, Nov. 5. Towns that already moved trick-or-treating to another day other than Oct. 31 can keep their plans, but state officials are still suggesting Monday instead. “I’ve taken this action to minimize additional risks to lives and the public safety as we begin the process of rebuilding and recovering from …

Whether you're looking to fill up your car or a gas can for your generator, the hunt for gas seems to have become survival of the fittest. In Northern and Western Monmouth, power outages are shutting down gas stations everywhere. And the stations that do have power, seem to have run out of gas. So tell us: Where are you finding gas? What are the lines looking like? Are some stations only taking cash?

President Barack Obama will tour Atlantic City this afternoon with Gov. Chris Christie to view the damage caused by Sandy, which hit the city as a tropical storm Monday night at 8 p.m., the White House announced. Obama will arrive at Atlantic City International Airport around 1 p.m., and his arrival is closed to the public, according to the White House. Obama will meet with citizens who are recovering from the storm, and with first responders who put their lives at risk to save members of the community who remained at home during the storm, according to a release issued by the White House. …

Some 261,426 Monmouth County Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) customers remain without power as of Wednesday morning. The number represents 92 percent of the electric company's customer base. In a statement on its Web site, JCP&L said thousands of employees are working to restore power, however the damage is significant. "The storm damage is the worst in JCP&L history, far worse than experienced during Hurricane Irene and the October 2011 snowstorm. As a result, restoration times will likely be longer. Restoration information will be provided as available," the statement read. The JCP&L …

New Jersey residents aren’t the only ones on generator power—many public and private water utilities are too, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The DEP is advising residents statewide to conserve water in the wake of Hurricane Sandy because widespread power outages have forced utilities onto emergency generators to treat and pump water. "Everyone must pitch in immediately and take steps to reduce water consumption. Without conservation now, homes and businesses could find themselves without water in the near future if backup generation fails. We need …

President Obama will travel to New Jersey Wednesday and join Governor Christie in viewing damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, the White House has announced. Obama will talk with people who are recovering from the storm and thank first responders. Additional scheduling details will be released when they are available.