Paterson locals hope Obama s visit can bring change
Post on: 2011-09-05 By: admin
Steve Strunsky/The Star-LedgerKing Murray, an auto mechanic from Paterson, and other residents are hoping President Barack Obama's visit will bring attention to their plight. "We need help bad - real bad," he said.
Just before President Barack Obama was to tour Paterson and the devastation of Hurricane Irene, power remained out on North Straight Street and a dusty, mildew smell lingered in the air.
Residents in this working class neighborhood, a half-block from the Passaic River, hoped the President’s arrival w ould be followed by significant federal aid to help those in the flood-damaged area.
“I hope he’ll be able to help us,” said King Murray, a 69-year-old auto mechanic. “We need help bad – real bad. We’re suffering now.”
Nearly a week after water submerged the block’s dozen homes, Murray and his neighbors were still without electricity. They said PSE&G refuses to turn the power back on until it’s certified that the wiring is in good condition. The reason, they said, is to avoid short circuits and fires.
“They’re telling us we have to get a certified electrician, and that costs $500, $600 dollars,” he said.
Two houses away from Murray’s, Nancy Fraticelli said she’s had to live in the dark since the flood hit.
How has she been living? “Daylight. That’s how we’ve been living,” she said.
The hurricane brought the 40-year-old billing clerk nothing but misery.
Her furniture is ruined, and her food is spoiled. Fraticelli has had to carry her laundry across town, she said.
“I wish he would have been here sooner when all this stuff was out here – all the water, all the debris,” Fraticelli said of Obama as she gestured to the sidewalk and the street. “It would be nice to speak to him and let him know what really is going on in Paterson.”
The water has receded now, but streets and sidewalks are now covered with a muddy residue. Housefronts are left with a gritty, chest-level watermark, and a half-dozen garbage cans are filled with muddy debris.
Cars parked in driveways, residents said, were completely submerged last week.
William Perlman/The Star-LedgerParts of Paterson are devastated from the Hurricane Irene floodwaters.
Murray said floodwaters reached several inches above the first floor of his house, and the man had to be rescued by boat from his home on Tuesday night. He returned Saturday after staying at local hotels with his family.
Now, everyone in the neighborhood is confused about who to turn to for help regarding the power issue.
Occasionally, someone who appears to be an official asks neighbors if they have power, several residents said. When they say that electricity is still out, the person moves on and nothing changes, the residents said.
Hector Rosado, a 47-year-old truck driver, is sure about one thing, however.
“I’ve had it,” he said. “This is the fourth flood this year.”
President Obama arrives in New Jersey, will visit Paterson's flood zones
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September 04, 2011 at2:16PM
Just wait until next November and you will have change. The new Republican slogan: "Hope for Change".
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September 04, 2011 at2:26PM
Yeah just like all that other hope & change BS that he promises.Are you expecting him to show up and part the flood waters?I can never understand why a president would show up in an area where Police and Emergency Services are already stressed beyond the max and create further problems with security details.He could have assessed the damage from a helicopter without fully interrupting the recovery process.
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September 04, 2011 at2:37PM
Pandering for votes, that is his MO. Patterson won't get better because of Obama's visit.Changed the dynamics of the population and it will get better.
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September 04, 2011 at2:45PM
Living in the dark with out Electricity can bequite interesting speciallyinWinter timejuston Holidays being thru thatseveral timesand not due to a flood cause by waters, but a floodcause by theJustice hugers ofNJand Power Hungers HypocritsAkisser of theEvils
Let me remind youall thatthe oneswho canonly best helpyourselfare only your own self
GatherOptimism ,even if otherssee no reason around youfor youto have none ,gatherenergyfromabovegathercourage ,gather the cojones that it needs to go ahead on life
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September 04, 2011 at2:59PM
I think is a lot betterand more reasonableif those whowants change they can bring that change to their own lifeon Positive ways where Progress takes places like hardchoices and sacrifices
Changeswith in all of youwherethat ofwhat u makeyour ownchoices on thelevel of changeyour wantinprogressfor yourself of that of your family and not one wherethe change it have tobe done for you ,itmay only be a change thatyou not agreewith .
changeshouldbe with in each individualwhere youhopefulychooseyourownpaththe right way,i knowfor instanceif i get flood in the house i cant wait for nay to come and do the clean upthemselfcuz that would not takeplace i have toget up and do it myself
many times im sure it hadhappento you like it had happento myselfwhereu even pay up for jobs done within your houseand not one even better then your own self to do itexactly as the wayyou want it.
With justlittleofresearchhardjob andsacrifices everything is possblebut alsowith a positive mindwhere u know a broom have to be lift up
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September 04, 2011 at3:20PM
Nothing is going to happen...With this visit by Obama.
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September 04, 2011 at3:24PM
CHANGE.....HAHAHAHAHA!!!!
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September 04, 2011 at3:29PM
@rattbubba - YES there will be changes. Obama will spend another $250k visiting some other disaster area instead of sitting tight in the White House and taking the word of thestate governors or FEMA as to whether or not it is considered a disaster area. If he already declared it this area a disaster area why does he have to spend the money to come and see for himself.I'm sure the woman from Fayette Ave would rather have a piece of the estimated $250 it cost for obama to come to NJ than getting a hug from him.
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September 04, 2011 at3:49PM
I hope everyone knows their being charged for his visit. mo money..mo money...mo money.
He does nothing, for nothing. You will pay. Whether you get help or not.
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September 04, 2011 at4:07PM
who cares about Paterson! These people tear there own communities down! The Flood water should be a biblical sign somethings wrong in disgusting Paterson.
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September 04, 2011 at4:33PM
And while here he'll just shoot over to NY for a little fund raising. Maybe another $60,000.00 a plate dinner with the common fortune 500 CEO. Yes he feels our pain.
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September 04, 2011 at7:24PM
I pray we get some pictures on the web showing our President hugging and connecting with some brown people from Silk City Paterson, all I see is Wayne NJ; I'm just saying we were all effected, the pics only show him walking the bridge with Christy and security, surrounded at Loews with nobody but red shirts that say Loews....come on media do better!!!!
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September 04, 2011 at9:22PM
The big O in NJ. What did this trip cost us? Wast of time and money for another reelection photo op.
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September 04, 2011 at9:31PM
brown people????? really???? why cant it just be the people who got trashed by the storm you moron!!! YOU MUST BE FROM PATERSON, DUMB ASS.
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September 04, 2011 at 10:10PM
So Governor Christie couldn't come to Paterson after hurricane Irene first hit he waited until President Obama came to town? Screw him!
He's made it very clear he doesn't care about Patersonians at all. He purposely underfunded the city's state monies. The state was suppose to dredge the Passaic YEARS ago to avoid this scenario from happening and have yet to do it.
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