Hurricane Sandy

December 11, 1992: Nor'Easter Wreaks Havoc at the Shore

The Jersey Shore was declared a disaster area; before Sandy, many considered it the "worst" in the region's history

It wasn't the last great storm. But, over the past five decades, and before Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, it was probably the biggest. On December 11, 1992, an intense nor’easter came ashore along New Jersey's coastline and remained there for three days. Strong winds hit upward to 80 miles per hour, and massive amounts of snow overwhelmed businesses and schools.  Flooding ravaged coastal towns. Toms River schools were closed a week due to the snowfall. Much of Long Beach Island, and nearly all of Sea Bright, was under water. Losing a car in the storm wasn't a freak accident; for some, it was part of the routine. Abnormally high tides resulted in severe beach erosion.  After the storm left, hundreds of millions of dollars of damage had been …

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Kevin Coyne Preserves Freehold's Rich History

Freehold Borough is one of the oldest towns in the country, and Kevin Coyne helps maintain its great history.

Walking around Kevin Coyne's house is like venturing through the town museum. The living room is graced with walls of framed Bruce Springsteen concert posters, maps, and photos of what was once Freehold Borough. One room has shelves of enough leather-bound books and there is a giant shelf that contains hundreds of CDs. Coyne is a fifth generation Freehold Borough resident whose day jobs include freelance writing and teaching journalism at Columbia University. Coyne's most well-known job is far more interesting but pays much less—Freehold Borough historian. “This is how much I earn from my job as Freehold Borough historian,” Coyne said, shaping a zero with his fingers. “I do this out of love and to preserve the town's history.” And Freehold…

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