As Gov. Chris Christie delivered his State of the State Address Tuesday afternoon, New Jersey residents who are trying to rebuild after Hurricane Sandy talked to FOX 29 about what they still need.
Fortescue is a tiny beach town facing the Delaware Bay in Cumberland County. "This is paradise here, this is really paradise," insisted longtime resident Al Munger. But a big piece of paradise has been lost.
Munger took FOX 29 on a walk along Fortescue Beach, to show the damage from the hurricane. "He just built the front out, a 14-foot deck, it's not there no more," Munger said, pointing to a home that sustained major damage.
Munger has lived in Fortescue for more than 30 years. He still sees far more damage than renovation long after Sandy left town. "He was going to sell his house and now it's pretty well destroyed, the front of it," Munger said. The homeowner is not selling it now. "Yeah, not without a lot of repairs," Munger added.
Some repairs are under way in Fortescue, but the going is slow. While the state and the nation focus on the devastation down the Jersey shore, Fortescue spends a lot of time waiting its turn. The mayor of Fortescue calls his town "the other Jersey shore." He estimates Fortescue lost between 30 to 40 homes. He's not exactly sure, because like so many others here, he's waiting to find out whether some homes might be salvageable."
But many contractors are busy rebuilding elsewhere, and not quite available yet. Homeowners here say insurance companies are still holding off making full payments. And as Governor Christie has complained, Congress is dragging its feet with federal aid, so too many residents are in a holding pattern.
Munger hopes financial help arrives soon. "These people are good, good, good people. And that's why I'd like to see them getting a lot more help than they're getting. There could be a lot more help," Munger insisted.
Until that help arrives, paradise remains somewhere off in the distant future.
Friday, May 17 2013 6:08 PM EDT2013-05-17 22:08:49 GMT
A man in Montgomery County is determined to shock and disgust unsuspecting women, even if they're with their young children.If you were lucky enough to get outside Friday, to a place like the Perkiomen
A man in Montgomery County is determined to shock and disgust unsuspecting women, even if they're with their young children.
Tuesday, May 14 2013 5:49 PM EDT2013-05-14 21:49:13 GMT
A Hollywood A-lister takes the world by surprise by opening up about a very private matter. Angelina Jolie revealed Tuesday she chose to have a double mastectomy to lower her risk of getting cancer.
A Hollywood A-lister takes the world by surprise by opening up about a very private matter. Angelina Jolie revealed Tuesday she chose to have a double mastectomy to lower her risk of getting cancer. Jolie's not the first woman to do it, but she may be the most high profile. Her decision is touching off a serious conversation about the preventive measure.
Thursday, May 23 2013 11:43 AM EDT2013-05-23 15:43:34 GMT
A small street in the city's Fern Rock section is closed off to traffic - for a good reason!Volunteers from Rebuilding Together Philadelphia and the Sears Heroes At Home program have gathered at the Reed
A small street in the city's Fern Rock section is closed off to traffic - for a good reason!Volunteers from Rebuilding Together Philadelphia and the Sears Heroes At Home program have gathered at the Reed
Thursday, May 23 2013 10:35 AM EDT2013-05-23 14:35:48 GMT
To the everyday on-looker, Lacey Barchart is just your average young girl.She likes playing with her stuffed animals and her friends. But, she sees the world just a bit differently than one might guess.
Brave little Lacey lives a normal life, but there is more to her than what meets the eye.
Thursday, May 23 2013 9:36 AM EDT2013-05-23 13:36:20 GMT
Rapper-producer Sean "Diddy" Combs has paid a marketing visit to Pennsylvania's capital city. Combs visited with Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board officials on Wednesday to promote a
Rapper-producer Sean "Diddy" Combs has paid a marketing visit to Pennsylvania's capital city. Combs visited with Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board officials on Wednesday to promote a
Thursday, May 23 2013 7:19 AM EDT2013-05-23 11:19:45 GMT
Firefighters are at the scene of an apartment building fire in Allentown where authorities say one person has been found dead, but his death is believed to be unrelated to the blaze.
Firefighters are at the scene of an apartment building fire in Allentown where authorities say one person has been found dead, but his death is believed to be unrelated to the blaze.
Thursday, May 23 2013 7:06 AM EDT2013-05-23 11:06:41 GMT
You ordered Grey Goose but got Popov? An undercover sting busts dozens of bars accused of serving you bottom shelf booze at top shelf prices, and one major chain was caught up in the bar boondoggle.
You ordered Grey Goose but got Popov? An undercover sting busts dozens of bars accused of serving you bottom shelf booze at top shelf prices, and one major chain was caught up in the bar boondoggle.
Thursday, May 23 2013 5:55 AM EDT2013-05-23 09:55:21 GMT
Today's weather? Cloudy, muggy, and eventually, stormy. If you get a strong to severe storm, it would probably be lat afternoon and evening. Highs in the upper 70s. Some of the storms will produce locally heavy rain and gusty winds.
This system is from the same cold front that caused the midwest tornadoes. It will also usher in cooler air for the holiday weekend.
The windows of a home are still boarded up more than two months after Sandy made its way through the area.
