ONEONTA —
Southside Mall closed at 4 p.m. Monday, and Oneonta Public Transportation will close at 7 p.m. tonight because of the local impact of Hurricane Sandy, officials said. Area colleges also closed today.
Local emergency services and municipal officials said they are monitoring weather reports.
The National Weather Service in Binghamton issued a high-wind warning this afternoon for Chenango, Otsego and Delaware counties that calls for high winds with significant wind damage and prolonged power outages anticipated. Winds are likely to reach peak intensities overnight, the NWS said, and the warning remains in effect until 5 p.m. Tuesday.
A high-wind warning is issued when sustained winds of 40 mph are expected for at least an hour, with gust of 50 mph or stronger, the NWS said. Damage to trees, power lines and property are expected, officials said, and downed trees may block roads.
Locally, OPT buses in Oneonta and to Cooperstown won’t start running again until noon Tuesday, John Shaver, bus dispatcher and driver, said. Notices have been posted to inform riders.
Delaware County Chairman, James E. Eisel, Sr., has declared a State
of Emergency for Delaware County. All roads in the county will be
closed effective at 8 p.m. tonight, continuing until 6 a.m. Tuesday, at which time it will be reevaluated.
Louisa Montanti, general manager at Southside Mall, said the shopping center closed at 4 p.m. Monday and tentatively is scheduled to re-open at noon Tuesday. Some mall employees have drives of 30 minutes or more to get home, she said, and the closure was based on discussions with area emergency services officials about weather and road conditions.
Area colleges canceled classes for the latter part of today and in some cases on Tuesday. According to college announcements:
SUNY Oneonta classes at and after 1 p.m. today have been canceled.
Hartwick College in Oneonta closed at 1 p.m. today and will reopen at noon Tuesday, and all classes, activities and events at the college during that period are canceled.
SUNY Delhi has canceled classes effective at 4 p.m. today and for Tuesday, with classes to resume Wednesday.
SUNY Cobleskill announced that classes were canceled today and Tuesday.
Among other weather-related announcements as of 5 p.m. today were:
_ The Otsego County Office of Emergency Services has announced that a shelter will be opening at St. Mary’s Church annex building on Walnut Street in Oneonta at 7 p.m. today.
_ Oneonta’s Halloween Parade has been postponed from Wednesday to Friday because of the storm, said Nicole Camarata, member of the Lions Club, which is organizing this year’s event. The downtown parade will start at 7 p.m.
_ Planned Parenthood offices in Oneonta, Sidney, Walton, Norwich and Binghamton will be closed Tuesday because of the storm, Ingrid Husisian, director of public communications, said, and offices will re-open Wednesday.
_ On Tuesday, the Delaware County Office of the Aging will not be providing the following services: Senior Dining Centers will be closed, no home delivered meals will be served and no bus services will be available.
_ The towns of Deposit and Hancock and the village of Hancock have each declared a state of emergency. All roads in these municipalities are closed at this time.
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