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[UPDATE 3 p.m] Outage Numbers Drop Again, 13 Percent Remain in the Dark

13 percent of Southburians now without power.

UPDATE (3:00 p.m.): As of 3:00 p.m. the number of Southbury households without power is at 14 percent. 1,398 Southbury homes have no power according to CL&P.

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For the second consecutive night thousands of Southbury residents regained power, bringing the number without electricity down to 16 percent Thursday morning.

The amount without power dropped almost twenty percent, or over 1,700 homes, from 5 p.m. Wednesday when 34 percent of the town was without power.

1,641 of the 9,850 households still remain in the dark as of 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. Statewide 18 percent, over 222,000 homes, remain without power, according to CL&P.

Joseph DiTomaso September 1, 2011 at 08:46 pm
This has been an on-going problem for Southbury, Georges Hill Road in particular for years. This is the fourth time this year alone that we have had to endure this problem. This storm has been the last straw for me. This is due to the in-eptness of CEO Jeff Butler of CL & P. The problems with the electrical supply can be alleviated if the Company would cut down the trees that are too close to the utility lines. The Company refuses to address and eradicate this problem. Mr. Butler you have not heard the last of me Joseph DiTomaso!! The audacity to turn around and implement rate increases, as though this will fix the problem is an outrage! As Pres. Truman said "If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen". if you cannot be an effective leader step down Mr. Butler and let someone who is competent take over as CEO!!
Aaron Turner September 1, 2011 at 08:54 pm
To follow up on Todd's comment about the damage on Georges Hill, the undercutting of the road is along the river immediately after the sharp left turn after Kettletown as you head toward Oxford. My wife and I examined this closely. My worry is that the first tractor trailer or moving van coming down that side the street is going to end up in the stream. No cones have been placed indicating danger. I didn't see any "collapsing", though this was back on Monday.
Dave Horwath September 1, 2011 at 09:32 pm
I'm sorry to be so selfish that I expect service to be restored after 5 days! I'm sorry for not liking a cold shower or no coffee! I'm sorry, but I haven't seen a UI truck yet!!! I'm also sorry that my last UI bill was $450.00+! Tomorrow, when I awake to my cell alarm clock, take a cold shower & go to the local gas station for a cup of coffee, I'll think of the person that wouldn't even post there name with an opinion! Oh, and my dogs selfish too! She loves being locked in the house all day because her underground fence isn't working! UI knew about this storm for a WEEK prior and did zilch, nothing nada!! Boy, I am selfish! As for the deaths, I do feel bad, very sad!
Robert H. September 1, 2011 at 09:36 pm
Bucks Hill south of Old Waterbury Rd still blocked by downed tree. Still no power. Still no well water. It's Thursday afternoon and no relief in sight for this neighborhood
N
NYNOWCT September 1, 2011 at 10:00 pm
Dave, my name is none of your business and makes no difference to any of this. I understand your frustration but I wonder how you would react in a severe crisis!
I guess we have a different mind set. and outlook on life. Feel free to be angry but that is not how I live my life. I try to focus on the positive. YOU WILL SURVIVE!!!!!
NYNOWCT September 1, 2011 at 10:07 pm
http://www.missionariesofafrica.org/challenges/water1.html
And you are complaining about no water for five days and having to go to the gas station for your coffee?? Really??
Dave Horwath September 1, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Do you have power? OMG, that's the best you can do? I now see why you are remaining anonymous....
Dave Horwath September 1, 2011 at 10:17 pm
Oh, and I'm leaving my job to my dark house....I'm not in Africa, but it does seem like it! Just curious, but why? Why are you here and not in Africa? Go and help, make a difference...anyplace but Southbury!
NYNOWCT September 1, 2011 at 10:35 pm
"We have no words for speaking of wisdom to the stupid. He who understands the wise is wise already."
-G.C. Lichtenberg
Gary Diamond September 2, 2011 at 01:11 am
I agree with you Joseph, they don't cut down trees, only branches, if that. I'm on Burma Rd got power at about 1 AM I wish they would cut all the trees 75 feet from the wires, if the person don't like it, to bad, they can always agree to not allow them to cut the trees, but if the tree falls on the wires, they have to pay double the price it cost to fix the problem.
if you think that's bad for 5 years now the bottom wires which are the at&t phone wires are all over growing with trees and branches and at&t is no longer responsible for the trimming of the trees, its our towns problem. wherever you go only the top wires are trimmed for the power, not sure about the rules for cable. I informed our town, and they checked it out, they said they don't have the budget to do it.
GRC September 2, 2011 at 01:20 am
Dave/Joe - GET A GENERATOR!!!!
GRC September 2, 2011 at 01:23 am
In Southbury? Have a friend who lives over there and he lever lost power at his house.
HotfireXG September 2, 2011 at 01:44 pm
I live on Georges Hill Road, right near the sharp left turn, heading towards the stop sign. Still no power.
First off, to NYNOWCT, no one here would disagree that others on this planet have been dealt a worse hand. No one here is unthankful for what they have. However, the reason we live in a such a great town is because people (like all of us here) stand up together with the attempt to 'evolve' the systems that take care of it. CL&P represents a company that, without our necessities, would not exist. Our relationship with CL&P, thus, is symbiotic. What you label "complaining" we consider "rallying". We are banding together to make sure that in the future, our 'systems' for dealing with situations (like storms) will be dealt with in greater efficiency. Since you choose to post comments (and quotes) incognito, you relinquish your ability to stand with us and help change CL&P for the better. Ghandi, Martin Luther King, and Socrates - all men who were wise - would never have hidden behind a furtive name. If they were alive today and able to utilize the technology of websites and web-posts, they would be proud to post their comments.....with their real names.
Joe Ruggiero September 2, 2011 at 01:56 pm
Bucks Hill Road, south of Rt.84 was restored last night at about 3:00 am. Thanks to the CL&P crew that fixed the damage. It took them several hours, and it is very much appreciated.
NYNOWCT September 2, 2011 at 02:06 pm
CL&P is reading the Southbury Patch???
J September 2, 2011 at 02:11 pm
Still no power in Lakeside..even though they said it would be restored by 5:15 yesterday.
NYNOWCT September 2, 2011 at 02:22 pm
I still don't understand how my name would make a difference in any of this. It is no one's business what my name is. THIS IS NOT A PEITION WE ARE SIGNING. There are too many radical crazy people in the world that can take something like this public forum to post our opinions on a topic and take it to the extreme if you don't agree with them. Watch any news show and see how people do things like that. In this day and age of googling people's adress and finding exact locations of their house you can be a victim of harrassment if they don't like your opinion. I choose to protect my family, thank you. For you to imply that I am hiding behind a screen name is ridiculous and all the more reason why I would NOT post my name.I am not saying anything rude or inapropriate to the topic. No more than anyone else. I was simply trying to express my outlook on it.
I have lived here for 13 years and only lost my power twice. Once for the big east coast outage in 2003, and for this hurricane. It is obvious your neck of Southbury has more problems with outages. Sorry I am not jumping on the outrage bandwagon!
J September 2, 2011 at 03:32 pm
go back to NY
MaryAnn Benevenuto September 2, 2011 at 03:47 pm
Does anyone have any updates on power restoration to the Purchase area? There is a telephone pole split in half on the corner of Perkins and Brown Brook. I saw a CLP truck there yesterday. There were also wires crossing a driveway at that intersection; they lifted the wires with some type of prop such that cars can pass under the wires although that is not something I would try. Directly across the street, they seem to have installed some support for another pole that looked really shaky. According to the CLP website, we are scheduled for power on by Sunday but based on this article, it may be Wednesday.
Woodbury Connecticut September 2, 2011 at 09:09 pm
NYNOWCT:
You lost me when, in your initial post, you suggested that your neighbors are selfish for letting off a little bit of steam over the inconvenience of being without electricity and running water. (In the Tribury area, no power = no running water for many if not most.) Please, remember that one of the reasons we all live in a small town is that we are a community, and we know and try to get along with our neighbors. When we step over the line, and say something which may be insulting to others in the community, I like to think that many of us at least consider backing down and apologizing. This is what it takes to make a small community work. I run the Woodbury Connecticut facebook page, which promotes community relations and small local business.
NYNOWCT September 2, 2011 at 09:29 pm
I said nothing insulting and I don't need a lecture about what it mean to be living in a small town.
I have lived here for thirteen years and moved from a small town in Westchester County NY that I lived at for thirty years within a wonderful community of people. I can't believe the reactions on here and why you think my post is more insulting than what anyone else has posted(what about the poster who told me to go back to NY?). How is that for small town community feelings? Please people, these are the small things in life. Blow off steam all you want and stew in your anger. I was trying to encourage people to be positive. Move on with your lives...I certainly am.
Joe Ruggiero September 2, 2011 at 11:45 pm
I don't know about all of you and how you feel about it, but I would like to thank my trusty propane-fired generator. It did yeoman’s work during the power outage and allowed me to continue to have pumped water, limited TV/radio, some lights, and refrigeration. I know, I know, I am aware that it is an inanimate object and does not really appreciate my thanks, but never-the-less I am thanking it for its service during these difficult times. I thought a public expression was called for.....
Woodbury Connecticut September 3, 2011 at 12:13 am
Three Cheers for Joe's generator!
Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!
Quid Pro Quo September 3, 2011 at 01:18 am
A fine, fine piece of equipment. Joe's generator is a prince among common generators which just pale in comparison. Grade A performance at Joe's house.
My hat is off to you Joe's Generator!
Southbury Mom September 3, 2011 at 02:28 am
You can move on with your life, but you should not forget about those who are still waiting, hopelessly in the dark. It is a depressing feeling when you don't  have running water to flush your toilet or take a shower at your convenience after 5 days. And it is hard to sit around while it appears the rest of the town  "should be moving on".  
Joe Ruggiero September 4, 2011 at 12:27 am
Hello Ms. Johnson,
I was just trying to impart some humor in difficult circumstances....I truly sympathize with all of those folks still suffering w/o power. I really do. If we can't laugh about our circumstances then we are in very, very deep trouble indeed. I feel horribly for folks who are in worse scenarious than us....like folks in towns in the Catskills and VT who are cutoff and don't know when they will be able to get supllies/food/etc.....but please try to smile and remember that we will all persevere... I believe that, sincerely.
Southbury Mom September 4, 2011 at 11:39 am
Mr. Ruggiero,
Hi Mr. Ruggiero, I realize that and should have been more specific.  I was actually directing my comment to NYNOWCT who was saying basically get over it and move on. Sometimes a little sympathy and reaching out to others is better than a slap in the face, especially in times of desperation. 
HotfireXG September 7, 2011 at 01:59 pm
My power was restored on Friday evening. I was so excited that I forgot to post! Now that all of us have power, we can go online and donate money to those who were hit hardest by the storm.
NYNOWCT, despite everything, I want you to know there was one comment you made that was a complete truism. There were things you said that might have hurt people - emotionally - and that is what might have caused the perceptional ire directed towards you. Tertullian once said - "The first reaction to truth is hatred”. Although this is most definitely an extreme, it resembeles (to a low percentage) the quality of what happened on these posts. You ended up making a comment earlier that was, by objective reality, true. You even posted a link to represent your data. And you were absolutely right. You defined the comparison, causing everyone to know the reality of economic values between our circumstances and that of those in third world countries. To say "others are dealing with a worse situation than ours" is an absolute truth. To paint all of your comments with the same negative tar brush would simply be a bad analysis on my end. However, the main point of this article and wall post was to enhance and deliver data to the community such that it enables us to know what is going on. Your comment, although true, was an uncessesary maxim that did not contribute, either diplomatically or informationally. If I was insulting on my earlier post, I apologize.
NYNOWCT September 15, 2011 at 04:54 pm
Who said I had power?
NYNOWCT September 15, 2011 at 05:02 pm
Juan, Thank you for your post and apology.
I did not realize people would react so highly. I was simply trying to remind people that we will get through this and to think how good we actually have it. I seem to have been painted in an evil light and if you actually knew me you would know that I am far from it. . I was in the same boat as everyone else with no power (thank god for iphones). However, I believe it is important to keep things in perspective as diffcult as things may have seemed. I am glad everyone has power now and we can all go back to putting our own energy towards other important things such as donating money to those who were hit the worst by the storm. My husband and I both agree that CL&P did the best they could within the circumstances. Practically the entire state was out of power...that is no easy task to achieve quickly. Peace,

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