Massapequa Waits for LIPA

Massapequa is now into a full-fledged waiting game. 

Officials with the Town of Oyster Bay and Village of Massapequa Park said that the vast majority of area roads have been cleared, leaving residents to play a waiting game for power restoration.

"We're trying to clear every impediment so LIPA can restore power," said Massapequa Park mayor James Altadonna. "We believe by the end of the day we'll have removed all of those impediments."

Altadonna said that there were about seven downed trees that remain in the village that are so entangled in wires, they cannot be removed without assistance from the utility, but otherise, "We're waiting for LIPA," he said.

A spokesman from the town of Oyster Bay said almost all roads are clear, except in the few cases where LIPA needs to come in because of downed wires.

As of Thursday afternoon, there were still 8,203 people without power in North Massapequa, 6,046 in Massapequa, 5,425 in Massapequa Park and 2,929 in East Massapequa.

Officials moved to try to provide services to help residents as they waited for the lights to come back on.

The Town of Oyster Bay announced Thursday that they are going to be handing out water and  free meals at Marjorie Post Park between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The goods, which are being supplied by the state and the Nassau County Office of Emergency Management, will also given out at Syosset Woodbury Common Park and Stehli Beach in Bayville.

Earlier, town officials announced they were opening Town Hall North in Oyster Bay and Town Hall South, to people who need a place to charge cell phones.

Businesses at the Westfield Sunrise Mall were allowing customers to charge their electronic devices as well.

Massapequa Public schools were closed on Friday, making it a full week that students have been out of class.

The SAT, which had been scheduled for this Saturday had been postponed until Nov. 17.

The storm cleanup continued as those who live in the coastal areas south of Merrick Road were dealing with heavy damage.

Ruined furniture, appliances and debris were stacked on curbs as residents tried to put their lives back together.

The New York State  Department of Financial Services set up a disaster assistance consumer hotline  at 1-800-339-1759 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.