Generators still in stock in Shrewsbury, but going fast

SHREWSBURY, Massachusetts – As folks prepare to hunker down this weekend many have been turning to the local home stores to buy up a portable home generator. Massachusetts Emergency officials are warning residents that high winds combined with tree roots soaked by up to 10 inches of rain, create a real possibility for downed trees and of course power lines. Portable Generator

This ties your circuit breaker box into an external outlet to allow you to safely connect your portable generator directly to your existing circuits. Transfer Switch

Home Depot has a huge selection in stock. One of the leading causes of death during storms, is oddly enough, people who were killed by misusing their home generators during a resultant power failure. Do not connect your generator directly to your home’s wiring. Connecting a portable electric generator directly to your household wiring can be deadly to you and others. A generator that is directly connected to your home’s wiring can “backfeed” onto the power lines connected to your home.

You could also cause expensive damage to utility equipment and your generator.

The transfer switch transfers power from the utility power lines to the power coming from your generator.

Never plug a portable electric generator into a regular household outlet.

Plugging a generator into a regular household outlet can energize “dead” power lines and injure neighbors or utility workers. Connect individual appliances that have their outdoor-rated power cords directly to the receptacle outlet of the generator, or connect these cord-connected appliances to the generator with appropriate outdoor-rated power cord having a sufficient wire gauge to handle the electrical load.

Don’t overload the generator.

Overloading your generator can seriously damage your valuable appliances and electronics. A portable electric generator should be used only when necessary and only to power essential equipment.

Carefully read and observe all instructions in your generator’s owner manual.

Hurricane Irene May Boost Retailers as Lowe’s Sells $799 Power Generators

With Hurricane Irene barreling toward Morehead City, North Carolina, Tim Guthrie thought of protecting all of his possessions -- even his frozen food.

The anticipation for Irene may boost sales for retailers such as Lowe’s, Home Depot Inc. (HD), Costco Wholesale Corp., Target Corp. (TGT) and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) as shoppers flock to stores to prepare for wind and rain damage and possible limited access to food or water.

Manhattan Flashlights

At an Ace Hardware Corp. store in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, crowds were “growing by the hour,” according to Jerry Webster, a clerk at the store. Home Depot has been sending what it described as “pre- strike” items such as water, tarps and batteries to meet surging demand along Irene’s expected path, said Russ Householder, emergency response captain for Home Depot.

Lowe’s and Atlanta-based Home Depot declined to estimate how much storm preparation could boost sales.

Back at the Lowe’s in Morehead City, 11 power generators were on display at the front of the store.

Ocean City, Md. Residents Ordered To Evacuate

KLAS-TV Channel 8 News NOW Las Vegas. Local News, Weather, Traffic, Sports, Entertainment for Las Vegas.

Ocean City officials have ordered thousands of residents and visitors to evacuate the Maryland beachfront community, and the state's governor has declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Irene approaches.

OCEAN CITY, Md. -- Ocean City officials have ordered residents to evacuate the resort and the mayor has declared a state of emergency as Hurricane Irene approaches. Thursday, August 25, 2011.

KLAS-TV Channel 8 News NOW Las Vegas. Local News, Weather, Traffic, Sports, Entertainment for Las Vegas.

According to Ocean City, Maryland's website, Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan has signed a proclamation declaring a local State of Emergency. The website stated that the region was expecting to be significantly impacted by Hurricane Irene,

Tags: hurricane irene, Ocean City, ocean city nj, ocean city md

Hurricane prompts evacuation of Ocean City, Md.

With Hurricane Irene taking aim at the Maryland shore, officials ordered thousands of residents and visitors to leave Ocean City while Gov. Martin O'Malley warned of the dangers of the "monster" storm.

O'Malley declared a state of emergency Thursday. He warned state residents to prepare for what he called a large, deadly and "slow-moving hurricane that is bearing down on the state of Maryland."

The governor said Irene's epicenter is expected to arrive off the coast of Ocean City, with the eye wall possibly even over the beach community by 2 a.m. Sunday.

Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan said Thursday there were probably about 125,000 to 150,000 people in Ocean City. The city has about 7,000 residents.

Meehan said the last time Ocean City ordered an evacuation was in 1985 for Hurricane Gloria.

Hurricane Evacuations For Ocean City, Maryland

With Hurricane Irene taking aim at the Maryland shore, officials ordered thousands of residents and visitors to leave Ocean City while Gov. Martin O'Malley warned of the dangers of the "monster" storm.

O'Malley declared a state of emergency Thursday. He warned state residents to prepare for what he called a large, deadly and "slow-moving hurricane that is bearing down on the state of Maryland."

The governor said Irene's epicenter is expected to arrive off the coast of Ocean City, with the eye wall possibly even over the beach community by 2 a.m. Sunday.

Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan said Thursday there were probably about 125,000 to 150,000 people in Ocean City. The city has about 7,000 residents.

Meehan said the last time Ocean City ordered an evacuation was in 1985 for Hurricane Gloria.

Evacuations begin along coast; rain prediction for York County rises

Hurricane Irene made its way over the Bahamas Thursday, with winds up to 115 mph as it moved steadily toward North Carolina, where it's expected to make landfall Saturday afternoon.

The storm caused East Coast beaches to call for evacuations and responders to gear up for local and national needs. But York County residents won't really see what the storm has in store until late Friday, when Irene is expected to change its path of travel.

Weather

Hurricane Irene was expected to bring about an inch of rain to York County earlier this week, but forecasters said Thursday that York County could get 1 to 5 inches between Saturday and Sunday.

Craig Evanego with the National Weather Service at State College said Irene was expected to continue heading northwest for the next 12 to 24 hours before heading north to northeast, following the coastline. Evanego expects York County to get 1 to 3 inches of rain with winds at 30 to 40 mph.

Brian Edwards with AccuWeather.com said the area could see 3 to 5 inches, with sustained winds between 25 to 40 mph and gusts up to 60 mph.

Heavier rains are expected to begin between 9 and 11 p.m. Saturday and continue into Sunday, tapering off as Irene heads into New England Sunday night.

Edwards said York Airport hadn't reported too much rain this month, but residents near creeks and low-lying areas should prepare for flooding.

Locals respond

More than 80 mobile feeding vehicles and communication trucks with the American Red Cross are heading for North Carolina. In southcentral Pennsylvania, volunteers are on stand-by and response vehicles are ready to reach both local and national needs.

Residents should build an emergency kit, stay informed and make a plan, according to a news release issued Thursday. Emergency kits should include a three-day supply of water for each person, food that doesn't require refrigeration, flashlights, a battery-operated radio and a first aid kit.

Met-Ed crews also are preparing to help in the restoration process after Hurricane Irene hits the east coast. The company is working to secure additional tree crews and keep in touch with state officials.

Beaches

# Maryland: Ocean City, Md. Mayor Rick Meehan has signed a proclamation declaring a local state of emergency.

All persons other than identified emergency personnel are ordered to evacuate. Visitors are asked to return to their principle residences. Ocean City residents are asked to seek shelter elsewhere.

According to a warning on the Ocean City website, all incoming traffic to Ocean City will be limited to emergency personnel. The total rainfall for the Ocean City area over the next three days is forecast to be 9.5 inches.

# New Jersey: Cape May County ordered an evacuation Thursday afternoon.

# Delaware: The City of Rehoboth has asked visitors to postpone trips until late Monday. It is forecasted that winds could blow 100 mph or higher with approximately 8 to 12 inches of rain. Rehoboth has never experienced winds of this nature, according to its website. Everyone was encouraged to immediately begin hurricane preparations.

What to do in a power outage

# If your lights go out, call your local electric utility to report the outage. Met-Ed customers should call 888-LIGHTSS (888-544-4877). PPL customers should call 800-342-5775.

# Downed wires should be reported to your electric company, local police or fire department. Never go near a downed wire, even if you think it's not carrying electricity.

# Keep flashlights with fresh batteries in your home. Avoid using candles, especially around children or pets.

# Never use a gas stove or lantern intended for outdoor use in your home.

# Make sure you have fresh batteries in a portable radio.

# Unplug major appliances to avoid damage when the power is restored. Keep one light on so you know when the power is back on.

Emma Stone Has Jim Carrey’s Eternal Love

In a video posted to the Canadian actor’s website, jimcarreytrulife.com (currently down, presumably from traffic), he shamelessly proclaims his love for Miss Stone. Personally I like how the video eventually becomes a meditation on aging, with Carrey discussing the “only discernible” byproducts of the aging process.

Starring Emma Stone, Viola Davis & Bryce Dallas Howard

A strong female cast anchors the drama, the laughter and the tears of “The Help,” about the intertwined lives of white and black Southern women in early days of the 1960s civil rights movement.

It’s obvious this story springs from a place, geographically as well as emotionally, that the people telling it know well.

The plot revolves Skeeter (Emma Watson), an aspiring journalist back home after college graduation, who wants to interview two local black maids, Abilene (Viola Davis) and Minnie (Octavia Spencer), about what it’s like to be “the help” for the town’s well-heeled white women.

Allison Janney is superb as Skeeter’s cancer-afflicted mother, Charlotte, a regal daughter of the South caught between the region’s culture and the nation’s civil-rights cause for which her daughter’s writing will become an agent of change.

Ocean City MD Residents Ready For Evacuation

The mayor of Ocean City, MD, Rick Meehan, has declared a local State of Emergency today in preparation for the impact of the powerful Hurricane Irene.

Ocean City Municipal Transportation System is providing transportation for special needs individuals. For special needs transportation, please call Ocean City Transportation at 410-723-1606. The Ocean City Government Cable Access Channel 4, the Ocean City website www.ocmdemergency.com, recorded emergency management line, 410-723-6666 and Ocean City advisory radio station 1670 AM will remain operational for further advisories.

Ocean City, Md., asks visitors to postpone trips until Irene passes

OCEAN CITY, Md. - Ocean City has activated phase three of its hurricane action plan in preparation for Irene and will evacuate the city. Mayor Richard Meehan has signed a local state of emergency declaration which essentially shuts down the entire city

York, PA - Emergency Management officials in Ocean City, Md., are asking people to postpone visits.

Hurricane prompts evacuation of Ocean City, Md.

OCEAN CITY, Md. -- With Hurricane Irene taking aim at the Maryland shore, officials ordered thousands of residents and visitors to leave Ocean City while Gov. Martin O'Malley warned of the dangers of the "monster" storm.

O'Malley declared a state of emergency Thursday. Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan said Thursday there were probably about 125,000 to 150,000 people in Ocean City. The city has about 7,000 residents.

Meehan said the last time Ocean City ordered an evacuation was in 1985 for Hurricane Gloria.

Evacuations begin along coast; rain prediction for York County rises

The storm caused East Coast beaches to call for evacuations and responders to gear up for local and national needs. Weather

Hurricane Irene was expected to bring about an inch of rain to York County earlier this week, but forecasters said Thursday that York County could get 1 to 5 inches between Saturday and Sunday.

Evanego expects York County to get 1 to 3 inches of rain with winds at 30 to 40 mph.

Locals respond

Beaches

# Maryland: Ocean City, Md. Mayor Rick Meehan has signed a proclamation declaring a local state of emergency.

Ocean City residents are asked to seek shelter elsewhere.

According to a warning on the Ocean City website, all incoming traffic to Ocean City will be limited to emergency personnel. PPL customers should call 800-342-5775.

Kenny Chesney's concert move angers some fans

It's called Hurricane Avoidance.

Chesney was set to play at the Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., on Sunday.

Kenny's Facebook wall is covered with offers of ticket trades and grumbling.

UPDATE: StubHub tells Lifeline Live that it is, in fact, "offering refunds for fans who purchased tickets through the site and are unable to attend the rescheduled show."

Chesney added, "I've always said Foxboro is a highlight of our tour, because the fans are ready for a great night of music and fun no matter what night it is!"

For the first time in CMA Songwriters Series history, audio from the show will be streamed live. Fans can visit CMASongwritersSeries.com or NoShoesRadio.com to hear the live performance as it happens.

Kenny Chesney Moves Foxboro Show Due to Threat of Hurricane

"I've always said Foxboro is a highlight of our tour, because the fans are ready for a great night of music and fun no matter what night it is!"

"Our first and foremost priority is the fans' safety," echoes concert promoter Louis Messina, "so we have made the difficult decision to reschedule the show."

All tickets for Sunday's show will be honored on Friday, with the exact same set-list and lineup, which includes opening performances by Zac Brown Band and Billy Currington. Those fans who now cannot make the show due to the rescheduling will get a full ticket refund.

Kenny Chesney's Foxboro Concert Date Change Receives Mixed Responses

After tragic stage collapses which happened at Indiana State Fair and Belgium Pukkelpop Festival due to heavy storm, Kenny Chesney decided to reschedule his concert at Foxboro's Gillette Stadium when the weather forecast was unfavorable. All tickets for Sunday's show will be honored on the new date. "I want the last weekend of the 'Goin' Coastal' Tour to be a great experience for everybody. Despite the concern over possible hurricane-level storms that may occur in the area, the concert rescheduling infuriated some of Chesney's fans. Do you expect Kenny to play in a storm??? Love ya Kenny! People will understand or not be safe!!!"

Another fan named Kris Marasca wrote, "Thank you for thinking of your fans who might be affected by the hurricane, Kenny. Fay Skillins Burns agreed, "Thank You, Thank you, THANK YOU Kenny for re-scheduling instead of cancelling!!