North Idaho residents feel Sandy's reach
As Hurricane Sandy began to pound New York and New Jersey on Monday, ripple effects were felt in Kootenai County.
Debbie Ecklund, daughter of Post Falls residents Walter and Phyllis Paiuk, lives on the waterfront in the New York City borough of Queens.
"She got most of her belongings out of the house she was staying at before it flooded," Phyllis said.
The couple finally connected with their daughter Monday afternoon after several tries.
Ecklund planned to stay in a shelter at a closed school in Queens on Monday night and plans to stay with friends in the coming nights, waiting out the storm.
"She's doing all right, but she doesn't know when she'll be able to go back to the house she stays at," Phyllis said.
The hurricane's wind gusts knocked down trees and power lines, causing flooding throughout the region.
"It's a little cold where she's staying at this school, but they've got generators," Phyllis said.
Thom George was on the minds of area residents who got to know him when he and his family lived in the Lake City from 2001 to 2011.
North Idaho friends were checking in on George's Facebook page, sending prayers and good wishes as he and wife Melinda prepared to ride the storm out in the apartment they recently moved into in Midtown Manhattan.
George told The Press the mood in New York City was generally upbeat Monday as Sandy began to make landfall.
"Grocery stores had incredibly long lines. Yesterday, I was No. 120 in line at Whole Foods, and everyone was in a friendly mood," George said.
The couple were armed with flashlights and candles, and they stocked up on food and water. Like many in Sandy's path, George and Melinda also filled the bathtub in their apartment with water.
"We are high enough that flooding isn't an issue, but low enough to use a stairway if the elevators go out," George said. "Our apartment faces an interior courtyard so wind won't be a problem."
Power outages were widespread by Monday evening.
By 9 p.m. eastern time, News 12 New Jersey, the state's cable news station, had received 2,400 reports from citizens who said they witnessed green and blue flashes in the sky, the likely result of transformers exploding throughout the Garden State.
An hour later, the Edison, N.J., news station posted a cryptic message on its Facebook page: "Water continues to rise. Many of our cars are lost. We're hoping the water stays low enough to continue running our generator. We'll keep you updated on what we can as long as we can. Stay with us."
Geoff Carr, North Idaho College's journalism instructor, has relatives in Mantua, N.J.
He was watching the news and weather reports as often as he could on Monday for updates and planned to check in with family Monday night after work.
"I offered them best wishes before it struck," Carr said. "It's only going to get worse and worse. I lived there for 18 years and we never experienced anything this dire and of this magnitude in force. I'm keeping my fingers crossed."
Carr's brother Dan works at a business that sells generators.
"I think that he's as prepared as he can be," Carr said.