DOWN, BUT IN A VACANT LOT – A tree limb downed by Hurricane Sandy awaits pick-up Monday (Oct. 30, 2012) in the empty parking lot of the former Rite Aid Pharmacy at East High Street and North Pleasant View Road in Sanatoga PA. A Lower Pottsgrove Police Department patrol car circles the building in the background.

Local and state coverage of Hurricane Sandy from The Post Publications:

• Will You Be Better Prepared For The Next Big Storm?
  Sanatoga resident Ed Cox, a security professional, hopes so. Cox suggests area property owners can join the federal government’s preparedness community to be ready for future disasters, not unlike Hurricane Sandy, that Mother Nature sends our way.
• Shoreline Is Constantly Shifting, High Speed Real Estate
  Pottstown blogger Evan Brandt, who spent many summers at the Jersey shore, on Sunday (Nov. 4) suggested like others before him that it may be time to halt development on the barrier islands.
• Corbett Visits Heart Of County’s Storm Response
  Following a visit to eastern Montgomery County on Wednesday, Gov. Tom Corbett on Thursday (Nov. 1, 2012) visited the operation center of the county’s Department of Public Safety, The Pottstown Patch reported.
• Corbett: No Insurance Deductibles Will be Applied to Sandy Damage
  Gov. Tom Corbett advised insurance companies that deductibles, which can be up to 5 percent of the insured value of a home, should not be applied to any Hurricane Sandy homeowner insurance claims, according to The Pottstown Patch.
• Sandy Disrupts Transportation For Local School Districts
  With power lines completely down or hanging low over roads in some areas, some school buses were unable to reach the homes of certain students, The (Pottstown PA) Mercury said.
• Hurricane Sandy Slams Small Business: ‘Losing My Business Means Losing My House’
  Thousands of small business owners across the East Coast are struggling to mop up after one of the largest storms to ever hit the United States.
• Did Climate Change Cause Hurricane Sandy?
  Scientists said they did not know for sure if Hurricane Sandy could be tied directly to climate change, a question on the minds of many along the storm’s path.

Wednesday (Oct. 31, 2012) finally brought a sunny break in Hurricane Sandy’s gloom over Lower Pottsgrove Township, in this photo by Matt Schaffer via Twitter.

• Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together
  The one-hour live benefit telethon will air Friday, November 2, (8-9 pm ET) across the networks of NBCUniversal.
• State’s Pension Fund Unsure If Sandy Hurt Its Investment
  Retirement monies on which Pottsgrove, Pottstown and Spring-Ford Area school employees depend were invested in part in a hedge fund that bet against a storm like Hurricane Sandy. A PSERS spokesperson said the fund doubted it lost money, but could not yet be sure.
• As You Slept (Fitfully) Through Sandy, They Stayed Awake
  Members of the Ringing Hill and Sanatoga fire companies, extra Lower Pottsgrove police officers, and the township’s emergency management team all were on call throughout the bulk of Hurricane Sandy’s local onslaught.
• 2 Homes, 2 Trees, Same Sanatoga Street. Both Downed
  Blame Hurricane Sandy for remodeling the landscape at two neighboring properties on North Pleasant View Road in Sanatoga.
• Now The Clean-Up Work Begins In Limerick Township
  Crews were out on the road Wednesday removing trees and cleaning debris on Main Street.
• With Sandy Gone, Pottstown BIE Warns, Beware Of Scams
  Members of the Building Industries Exchange of Pottstown remind property owners that if the deal to fix building damage sounds too good to be true, it may be a scam artist’s offer.
• PENNDOT extends inspection, driver license expiration dates due to Sandy
  Because of the damaging effects of Hurricane Sandy, PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch Thursday announced that PennDOT has authorized an extension of the expiration dates for Pennsylvania driver licenses, identification cards and vehicle inspections and registrations, according to The (Pottstown PA) Mercury.
• Thousands still without power as PECO warns outages could last a week
  Hurricane Sandy’s still affecting the power grid, The (Pottstown PA) Mercury reported, with more than 470,000 tri-county area residents without power Wednesday. Some could wait a week to see the return of their electricity
• Pottstown, MCCC back in school Thursday;  schedule changes announced
  Grappling with the effect of three days off, Pottstown School District administrators Wednesday afternoon announced a new schedule for the remainder of the week and other changes brought by Hurricane Sandy.
• Despite Sandy, Absentee Ballot Deadline Stays
  A Montgomery County judge Wednesday (Oct. 31, 2012) denied an emergency request by the county Election Board to a Friday deadline for the submission for submission of absentee ballots in next week’s general election, The Limerick Patch reported.
• Where to Go for Help After Sandy
  The Limerick Patch is compiling information on places where members of the storm-affected public can get a hot shower, a meal, or just go hang out someplace that’s warm.
• Another Sandy Casualty: Cell Networks
  The Federal Communications Commission said 25 percent of the cell towers in the Northeast were disabled in the wake of the storm, according to The Pottstown Patch.
• Comcast Providing Free WiFi in Wake of Sandy
  The Perkiomen Valley Patch says non-Comcast customers will be able to use the wireless provider’s Wifi hotspots for free through next week.
• Sandy Affects PA Vote; Absentee-Ballot Deadline Extended
  Gov. Corbett announced Monday night that he was extending the deadline for voters to request absentee ballots – originally 5 p.m. Tuesday – by up to two days.
• PA Liquor Stores Close As Sandy Hits, But Not Out-Of-State
  Shut-in Pennsylvanians hoping for some liquid courage to help face the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy had little luck Tuesday; all liquor stores in the state were closed due to the storm. For many, that meant a quick trip across state lines to open stores in Delaware and New Jersey.
• She Tries To ‘Save’ PA Ducks During Sandy, Gets Arrested
  A Pennsylvania woman faces charges that include risking a catastrophe after she jumped into a raging creek to “save” a couple dozen wild ducks.
• Montco Sees Power Outages, No Fatalities From Sandy
  Downed trees and power lines were on the minds of many Montgomery County residents as they awakened Tuesday to the aftermath of super storm Sandy’s wrath, The (Pottstown PA) Mercury reported.
• Weather Or Not, Some Pottstown-Area Businesses Open
  Despite the remnants of Hurricane Sandy and the destruction she left in her wake, some businesses in the Pottstown area opened for business Tuesday, according to The (Pottstown PA) Mercury.
• Lower Pottsgrove Worker Injured While Cutting Tree
  A township road crew member cutting a tree stuck on power lines on Orlando Road was taken by ambulance after the tension on the power line shifted the tree, and the tree struck him, sources confirmed for The (Potttown PA) Mercury.
• Pottstown Storm-Related Crash Leaves Cars Stacked
  One car ended up sitting on the roof of another after a Monday afternoon crash in the driving rains of Hurricane Sandy, The (Pottstown PA) Mercury reported.
• Sandy Affects Mercury Newspaper Home Delivery
  Subscribers will get a two-fer Wednesday (Oct. 31) – two newspapers for one day – because of road restrictions imposed in advance of Hurricane Sandy’s arrival.
• ‘Grove Schools Open Late; Pottstown, Closed; S-F, Open
  Pottsgrove schools will open Wednesday on a two-hour delay. Pottstown schools remain closed. Spring-For schools open on a regular schedule.
• Her Hurricane Views Provide Reflective Perspective
  A student at Valley Forge Christian College in Phoenixville offers her own takes on this week’s weather.
• Thanks, Boss, But Wish You Coulda Told Me Sooner
  A Pottstown resident gets good news during Hurricane Sandy; she doesn’t have to come into work. Unfortunately, she was headed to work at the time. Of such life snippets, videos are made.
• What A Hurricane’s Liquid Fury Looks Like From Above
  Sanatoga Creek was comparatively well behaved Monday as its waters rushed through Lower Pottsgrove toward the Schuylkill River, but created far less flooding than usual.
• Pottsgrove And Pottstown Schools, YMCA All Closed
  All three announced well in advance on Monday they would be closed Tuesday. Decisions on what happens Wednesday are pending.
• In Trappe, Betting’s Good They Party About Everything
  On Monday, it was to mark the arrival of Hurricane Sandy. As for tonight, who knows?
• Shelter Maybe Not Purr-fect, But Warm And Dry
  People, and for some their pets too, took advantage of warmth, safety, food and shelter offered Sunday and Monday by the American Red Cross in make-shift quarters at Pottstown High School.
• Three Views Of Storm Damage In Pottstown
  Cars and trucks impaled by trees, light poles resting on the ground instead of standing tall. Thanks to Hurricane Sandy’s ferocious winds, it was that kind of night in the borough.
• 3 Dead In Wake Of Sandy’s Violent Tear Across PA
  Highways were closed and hundreds of thousands of residents in southeastern Pennsylvania hunkered down Monday as the massive storm Sandy tore through the state. It was believed to be connected to at least three deaths.
• PA Utilities Report Over 1 Million Power Outages
  Pennsylvania utility companies report more than 1 million people are without power throughout the state. That’s approaching 20 percent of the state’s electric customers. And the number of outages continues to rise.
• How Sandy Affects Early Voting in Swing States
  Pennsylvania and New Hampshire do not offer in-person early voting; the storm won’t have much of an impact on voting in those states. But in Ohio, Virginia and North Carolina early voting is increasingly popular. Here’s how the storm has impacted early voting there.
• Maybe No Records, But Sandy Makes Shore History
  It remains to be seen if Hurricane Sandy will set any records, but weather experts say it will be among the storms that make history, especially at the Jersey Shore.
• Poison Centers Urge Caution in Hurricane Generator Use
  If the electrical power goes out, and you’re using a fuel-powered generator as a back-up, make sure its location is exceedingly well ventilated.
• Sandy Bumps County Poll Worker Classes Off Schedule When a hurricane goes head-to-head with pre-election training, you could guess the winner.
• Interactive Map: Storm’s Local Effects
  The Pottstown Patch has used a combination of official and user-submitted reports to create an interactive map of Hurricane Sandy’s effects in Montgomery County.
• Township Declares Disaster, With Its Eye On Your Wallet
  Lower Pottsgrove’s announcement Sunday positions it to claim a federal reimbursement for some costs incurred responding to problems caused by Hurricane Sandy.
• Oh, What Folks Wouldn’t Give For Just Another Battery
  Almost anywhere you went last weekend, every store was out of these.

• Time To Prepare For Sandy ‘Over,’ FEMA Warns
  “The time for preparing and talking is about over,” Federal Emergency Management Administrator Craig Fugate told CBS News as Hurricane Sandy made its way up the Atlantic.
• Hurricane Could Leave 10 Million In The Dark
  Hurricane Sandy, the storm barreling toward the east coast of the United States, could leave at least 10 million people without power, according to a new model reported by NBCNews.com.
• Sandy Prompts Penn To Extend Early App Deadline
  In response to the looming severe weather threat of Hurricane Sandy, Penn State University’s Office of Admissions has extended ts deadline for early decision applications to 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 6. Applications were previously due Nov. 1.
• Updated School And Business Closings From WFMZ-TV
  Some closings in northwestern Montgomery County are being reported to it, but not elsewhere.
• ‘Here We Go Again’ In Boro’s Flood-Prone Areas
  Residents in the low-lying areas of South Pottstown and North Coventry were among those throughout the region Sunday preparing for Hurricane Sandy and the flood waters she will likely bring, The (Pottstown PA) Mercury reports.
• What’s Open? What’s Closed? What’s Canceled?
  The (Pottstown PA) Mercury offers its update list here.
• Take A Break: S-F Area Schools, Pope John Paul Close
  All Spring-Ford Area School District schools, as well as Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford, will close Monday. No decision on Tuesday has been made for either.
• It’s Official, Kids: Pottsgrove Schools Closed Monday
  No school operations will be conducted as the storm hits its height, but no decision has been made yet as to whether students will report Tuesday.
• National Guard Troops On Standby As Needed For Sandy
  The Pennsylvania National Guard has told about 16,000 members to be ready to deploy to respond to possible power outages and floods. Its 56th Stryker Brigade combat team, which includes troops stationed in Spring City, ended training in Lebanon County a day early to return home.
• Gigantic Hurricane Sandy Churns Toward East Coast
  Tens of millions of people along the U.S. East Coast girded themselves on Sunday for Hurricane Sandy, a gigantic storm forecast to assault the densely populated region with battering winds, dangerous flooding and even heavy snowfall.
• Thanks To Sandy, Say Bye-Bye To Buses And Transit
  SEPTA is suspending all its operations early Monday at 12:30 a.m. because of the approaching hurricane. That means Pottstown, Lower Pottsgrove and Limerick residents who depend on its routes are out of luck.
• Township Police Shuffle Patrol Cars To Keep Them Dry
  Lower Pottsgrove’s police cars, usually parked on the north edge of the municipality’s Buchert Road property, have been moved to its west side to avoid low-lying flooding possible with Hurricane Sandy.
• Collegeville Wegman’s Water Cupboard Cleaned Out
  The items remaining on shelves that formerly held many cases of water weren’t water at all, but sodas and other drinks shoppers left behind.
• Utilities Alert Area Customers In Advance For Problems
  Ahead of Hurricane Sandy’s arrival in Pennsylvania, public utility and service companies are telling customers about how to deal with outages.
• Royersford Borough Offering Residents Storm Alerts
  They’re free to borough residents, and can be sent to an e-mail account or your mobile phone. Your cell may be preferable if you lose electrical power or Internet service at home.
• Chester County Opens Two Emergency Shelters Sunday
  County officials would prefer those affected by Hurricane Sandy stay with family and friends outside the area. If that’s not possible, though, they have two alternatives.
• 

  Gov. Tom Corbett

  PA Gov. Tom Corbett Declares A Disaster Emergency
  He activated the state Emergency Operations Center and authorized a transfer of $5 million in surplus funds to pay for disaster-related expenses.

• East Coast Casinos Face Threat Of Closing From Storm
  Casinos in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, and Maryland face a risk of closing and damage because of Hurricane Sandy, Wells Fargo Securities said.
• Electric Companies Across PA Get Ready For Hurricane
  Utilities companies say they learned valuable lessons from storms last year and have put in place new protocols to better handle what is expected to be an onslaught of power outages with Hurricane Sandy, a super-storm poised to cause significant damage up and down the eastern seaboard.
• County Suggests These Five Steps For Storm Preparation
  Plan for provisions, including plenty of water. Plan where you’ll reunite if separated. Plan how to contact each other. Plan to stay off the road. Plan to be safe at home. Get more details here.
• Sandy May Bring The Year’s First Snow To Western PA
  AccuWeather.com says that, with cold air advancing southeast into western Pennsylvania, temperatures will drop 30 to 40 degrees cooler than Thursday. Tropical moisture surging north and west of Hurricane Sandy may interact with the cold, creating the best chance to get snowflakes.
• Mont Co Preparing For Sandy As Major Storm
  Montgomery County public safety officials are cautioning that county residents should be prepared for about three days of hardship if Hurricane Sandy hits as badly as expected. Here’s what they’re recommending.
• Follow Hurricane Sandy’s Path Toward Pennsylvania
  Hurricane Sandy, the pre-Halloween hybrid weather monster that federal forecasters call “Frankenstorm” is looking more ominous by the hour for the East Coast, experts say. Follow the storm’s track here.